This compilation contains the names of more than 300 railwaymen (ie employees, not public passengers) who were killed or died while on duty between 1879 and today. Many workers have also suffered injuries, some life-threatening, which it has not been possible to include.
392 records found. Showing 1–25.
| Date | Surname | Given names | Designation | Location | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-02-24 | ADAMS | Paul | Shunter | West Kalgoorlie | Paul Adams was 34 years of age when he was fatally injured while engaged in shunting operations at West Kalgoorlie. Paul was married with two children and lived in Kalgoorlie. | Open PDF |
| 1961-11-30 | ALFORD | Thomas "Tom" Bailey | PW Inspector | Maddington | Tom Alford was 52 years of age when he lost his footing on ballast as he stepped out of the path of an approaching train at Maddington, he fell, was struck by the train as it passed and died at the scene. Tom lived with his family (including his three daughters, Joan, Barbara and Hilary) at Bayswater and he was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery, his ashes were then scattered to the wind. Tom is memorialised at Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park (Path/J/0072). | Open PDF |
| 1976-05-27 | ALFREDI | John | PW Inspector | Mt. Newman Railway | John Alfredi was driving a Hi-Rail vehicle which ran into the rear of a slow moving train as it was entering a siding. DMP Ref. FS-MG-768-415 | Open PDF |
| 1948-09-06 | ALLARDICE | Smith David | Shunter | Midland Junction | Smith "Smithy" Allardice was 36 years of age when he died as the result of injuries received when he was run over while shunting at Midland Junction in the early hours of 6 September 1948. Smith's father was deceased and he was living at home in Bayswater with his widowed mother, Helen, and there were two siblings Charles (33) and Alexander (40). Smith is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (Presbyterian/IA/0773). | Open PDF |
| 1929-09-16 | ALLEN | John Victor | Head Shunter | North Fremantle | John Allan was 25 (Also reported as John Allen (27)) years of age when he was killed in a shunting accident at North Fremantle (Mt Lyell). John was a single man living at North Fremantle he was interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (PRESBYTERIAN/FA/0605). John's father resided in Menzies at the time of the accident. | Open PDF |
| 1909-05-05 | AMESS | George | Head Shunter | North Fremantle | George Amess was 44 years of age when he died as the result of being run over by wagons while shunting at North Fremantle. George was well known and respected in athletic circles in the Fremantle district. A coroner's inquest shortly after the accident did not determine the cause. George was married, lived with his wife and five children and he was interred at Fremantle Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1949-08-09 | ANDREWS | Frederick "Knobby" Alfred | Driver-in-Charge | Norseman | Frederick "Knobby" Andrews was 56 years of age when he was struck and fatally injured by an ASG locomotive at Norsemen. Frederick lived at Norseman he left his wife and two adult children and he is memorialised in a wall niche at Karrakatta Cemetery (Crematorium Rose Garden/WM/0270). | Open PDF |
| 1915-04-09 | ARCHIBALD | John | Labourer | Belmont | John Archibald was 40 years of age when he died after falling from a Ballast train and being run over. He died instantly. A coronial inquest found that his death was an accident. John was married with two children. | Open PDF |
| 1942-04-24 | ATKINS | Thomas | Paymaster | Pinjarra | Thomas Atkins was 50 years of age when he was fatally injured as the result of his motor trolley derailing at the southern end of apinjarra station yard. Thomas and three other men were on their way to Dwellingup. Thomas lived at Baywater and is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (Roman Catholic/GA/0582). | Open PDF |
| 1941-03-03 | AYLWARD | James | Fettler | Perth | James Aylward, a fettler, was 48 years of age when he was struck and killed by a locomotive in Perth yard. James was a member of a gang engaged in track maintenance work when the locomotive struck and dragged him for some distance. James lived at Leederville with his wife Mary Margaret. Mary survived James by 31 years and passed away at the age of 78 in 1972. They are interred together at Karrakatta Cemetery (ROMAN CATHOLIC/KA/0680). | Open PDF |
| 1966-12-14 | BADOCK | Reginald Collette | Porter | Perth | Reginald Badock was 52 years of age when he died after being struck by a passing train as he crossed the tracks at Perth station. He left his wife Adela and six daughters the youngest of whom was seven at the time of his death. Reginald lived in Rivervale and is memorialised in the crematorium rose garden at Karratta Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1930-06-22 | BAILEY | William | Driver | Kalguddering | William Bailey was 37 years of age when he was fatally injured when Locomotive L248 derailed and rolled over at the bottom of "Kalguddering Bank" near Kalguddering Creek while travelling from Wongan Hills to Northam. William was married and lived in Northam with his wife Dorothy and their three children, Bruce, Rene and Pattie. He is interred at Northam Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1948-06-22 | BAKER | Colin George | Fireman | Bayswater | Colin Baker was 20 years of age when he was fatally injured while attending to his duties as fireman on a Midland bound train at Bayswater. It is believed that Colin was struck in the head by a passing Diesel railcar as he leaned out of the cab to check the injectors. Colin died the following day in Royal Perth Hospital. Colin lived in Perth with his mother, Emma and he is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/ZL/0373) | Open PDF |
| 1914-03-18 | BANDY | Ernest Samuel | Head Shunter | Geraldton | Ernest Bandy was 26 years of age when he died as the result of a shunting accident at the Geraldton Station Yard. Ernest lived in Geraldton with his wife Evelyn Mary and they had two children. Ernest was a well respected member of his community and with his workmates and colleagues. Ernest was interred at the Pioneers Cemetery in Geraldton. | Open PDF |
| 1984-10-09 | BASSETT | Graham Charles | Shunter | Forrestfield | Graham Bassett was 32 years of age when he was fatally injured in a shunting accident at Forrestfield. Graham lived at Kelmscott and is memorialised at Karrakatta Cemetery in the Crematorium Rose Garden/3C/0152. | Open PDF |
| 1901-11-22 | BEARD | William Austin | Head Shunter | Fremantle | William Beard was 24 years of age when he was fatally injured while shunting the South Mole at Fremantle. His foot was caught in points and he was run over by a loose shunted wagon. The William lived at Cottesloe and is interred at Fremantle Cemetery (Roman Catholic/Mon C/0450). | Open PDF |
| 1931-10-29 | BEAVER | Herbert William | Repairer | Pioneer | Herbert Beaver died of injuries received when a per way trolley crashed into a stationery locomotive water tank. Of the four others on the trolley two escaped without injury and two were injured, one of them seriously. Herbert's family lived in Perth and he resided at Norseman. He was interred at Norseman Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1942-11-05 | BEER | Spencer Trobridge "Tommy" | Driver | Swan View | Spencer "Tommy" Beer was 44 years of age when he died after being gassed in the Swan View Tunnel. His double headed train stalled in the tunnel and then ran away back down the grade to catch points at Swan View where it crashed. Three other engine crew were injured in the crash. Spencer, who went by the nick name "Tommy", lived in Mount lawley with his wife, Maud Alice and their family. He is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (ANGLICAN/LB/0684). | Open PDF |
| 1976-02-13 | BEJKO | Jerzy | Trackman | Moondyne | Jerzy Bejko was 58 years of age when he was struck and killed by a passing train at Moondyne on the Avon Valley line. Jerzy was working with a gang carrying out maintenance on the line at the time of the accident. Jerzy lived at Belmont and is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (Roman Catholic/PE/0570). | Open PDF |
| 1915-04-09 | BELL | John Edward | Fettler | White Peak | John Bell was 30 years of age when he died as the result of his trike being struck by a train. John's use of the trolley after dark was not authorised. He died some hours after the accident in Geraldton Hospital. John lived at White Peak with his wife and he is interred in the Anglican Section of Geraldton Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1897-08-18 | BERRIGAN | Patrick | Guard | Denmark, Millars | Patrick Berrigan was 21 years of age when he died as the result of falling under the wheels of the train he was guard on. Patrick had two brothers and sisters living at Denmark. He was interred at Albany Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1909-11-25 | BIDWELL | Edward John | Lineman | Spring Hill | Edward Bidwell was 43 years of age when a train ran into his tricycle at Spring Hill between Northam and Spencers Brook. Edward lived at Northam with his wife Jane and their five children under 16. He was interred at Northam Cemetery. | Open PDF |
| 1981-12-22 | BIGGERS | Jeffery | Ganger | Hines Hill | Jeffrey Biggers, Salvatore Darrigo, John Mather and John Vanden Herik were all killed when their gang was struck by a train at Hines Hill. | Open PDF |
| 1891-11-24 | BIRD | Charles | Porter | 2 Mile Jctn (Bluff Point) | Charles Bird was a Porter employed by the MRWA. At 10:00pm on 24 November 1891while riding a rail tricycle Charles collided with the same train from which William McCormick had fallen and been killed earlier that day. Having left Geraldton for Walkaway the train had stalled on the grade and was setting back to take another run at it when the accident happened. Charles, conscious throughout, was taken to Geraldton hospital where he died about midnight. Charles was married with two children. There is no information about where Charles lived or where he is burried. | Open PDF |
| 1920-02-23 | BIRD | Charles Branston | Chief Clerk | Perth | Charles "Charlie" Bird was 69 years of age when he was fatally injured in a goods lift at Perth Central Railway Station. Charles was a husband, father and grandfather. He lived in Perth and is interred at Karrakatta Cemetery (Wesleyen/DC/0060). | Open PDF |
Death or serious injury, in the days before compulsory workers’ compensation insurance, could, and often did, result in the victim’s family being left destitute. The families often had to rely, at least in the short term, on the charity of their community and the generosity of the injured or deceased worker’s colleagues.
Many men, stationed at outlying depots, were faced with such rudimentary medical facilities that an injury which may have been survivable in a large town or city could and often did prove fatal.
Contemporary newspaper reports and edited transcripts of coronial inquiries have been included where they are available. Some photographs of these railwaymen have been made available by descendants and other family members. Other information welcome and can be sent to archivist@railheritagewa.org.au
Caution: Contemporary newspaper reports, particularly those prior to 1920, sometimes contain explicit descriptions of the injuries sustained by the deceased person. Some readers may find these descriptions offensive and in bad taste by today’s standards. However, they reflect the norms of the times and are reproduced as found.