The railways of New South Wales, Australia have had many incidents and accidents since their formation in 1831. There are close to 1000 names associated with rail-related deaths in NSW on the walls of the Australian Railway Monument in Werris Creek. Those killed were all employees of various NSW railways. The details below include deaths of employees and the general public.

Accidents involving loss of life

Locomotive No. 1, 1858

This locomotive, built in 1855 by Robert Stephenson with three others for the first real railway line in New South Wales, was involved in two fatal accidents. The first occurred as a derailment on 10 July 1858.Railway Accident Sydney Morning Herald 16 July 1858. At TroveThe Haslem's Creek Derailment Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, February 1954 pp. 17–21 The locomotive was pulling two open third-class carriages, a first- and a second-class carriage between Sydney and Parramatta. Near Homebush, the two third-class compartments left the rails and toppled down an embankment. There were thirty people in the two carriages, of whom two were killed, one a solicitor, the other a market gardener. In the ensuing investigation, reported in the Sydney Morning Herald, it was suggested that the problem was caused by damage to the hollow-cast rails which were not able to withstand the weight of the locomotive. Rail workers, some of whom witnessed the derailment, claimed that the problem was caused, at least in part, by the practice of loose-coupling the lightweight third-class carriages in the same way as heavy goods trucks. The matter also drew to the attention of the managers the fact that the price of first class travel, at four shillings, was so exorbitant that even the wealthiest citizens of Sydney chose to travel in the open carriages.

Newtown collision, 1868 On 6 January 1868, a man was killed when Locomotive No. 1 collided with a passenger train at Newtown station. The locomotive was severely damaged and retired. It is now on display at the Powerhouse Museum. Newtown station was at that time located west of the present station, its platform eventually forming part of the foundation of Crago's Flour Mill.

Emu Plains collision, 1878 On the night of 30 January 1878, head-on collision between two goods trains. One of the drivers (Michael Stephenson) survived and the other driver and the firemen of both trains together with a guard riding in the cab of the up train, were killed. The primitive system of working the trains was found to be responsible.

Currabubula train accident, 1878 On the night of 28 May 1878, the coupling on a ballast carriage between the trucks and train failed. There were two fatalities, and at least one other injured. An inquest held on 5 June 1878 at Murrurundi cleared all persons of negligence.

Salt Clay Creek railway disaster, 1885

On 25 January 1885, the Melbourne-Sydney mail train derailed between Bethungra and Cootamundra, killing seven and injuring over 20. The cause was a washaway of a culvert over Salt Clay Creek during a period of heavy rainfall.

Peats Ferry, 1887 On 21 June 1887, an excursion train from Sydney ran out of control down the steep Cowan Bank. There were two other trains full of holidaymakers standing at the platforms at Hawkesbury River station and disaster was only averted by the alert station master who could hear the roaring engine and frantic whistling. He dispatched a railway porter to throw the points lever open and divert the runaway down a siding that led to the new bridge site. The train lost speed along the railway causeway out to Long Island and collided with some empty wagons. The locomotive slid off the embankment and ended up partially submerged in the river. The engine driver was trapped in the cabin and drowned but the fireman escaped. The toll was six dead and seventy injured.

Bathurst accident, 1890

On 25 April 1890, an Up mixed train, after shunting at Kelso, climbed the 1 in 50 grade to Raglan where it again stopped to unload parcels as well as pick and set down passengers. The drawbar between the third and fourth vehicles broke, releasing the bulk of the train which commenced to run back down the hill, there being no continuous air-brake throughout the train. The runaway vehicles ran all the way down the grade, across the Macquarie River railway bridge and into Bathurst yard where they collided with the following goods train. Four passengers in the rear of the Mixed train were killed and three others injured.The Bathurst Accident. Fookes, R.S. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, March 1955 pp28-36

Tarana, 1892 On 27 April 1892, eight passengers were killed by a derailment of the rear carriages of a western-bound mail train caused by a broken rail.

Redfern rail collision, 1894 On 31 October 1894, the 9.31 am, six carriage local train travelling from Strathfield was approaching the terminus at Redfern. As the train reached the signalbox, it was hit without warning by the 9.30 am train bound for Goulburn, which departed against a stop signal. The Goulburn bound train was only travelling at an estimated 10 kilometres per hour, however the accident was devastating in terms of damage, injury and loss of life. Steam and hot cinders killed 13 passengers, including Edward Lloyd Jones, the chairman of David Jones, and twenty seven were injured.

Orton Park, Bathurst, 1898 On 4 June 1898, the 1:50 am No. 29 down train departed Bathurst. As it passed Orton Park the driver, Mr. Sargeant, became aware that it had run over something. He reported the matter on arrival at George's Plains, by telephone to Bathurst. Mr. Rains, the Night Stationmaster, sent the shunting engine and shunters Mayo and Musgrave to find out what the something was. Shunter Musgrave returned at 2:50 am to report that they had found the mangled, headless remains of a man. Constable Brennan went out by the No. 61 down mail to assist in the search, for body parts, and take charge of the remains. Some time elapsed before the head was discovered some distance from the body. The remains were then taken to the Bathurst Hospital. Although formal identification took some time, due to disfigurement from the accident, the body was initially identified as Herbert Thomas Smith, a 38-year-old Bathurst carpenter, from the contribution book of the Oddfellows Lodge, that was on the body. From the marks observed on the front of the engine, it was supposed that Mr. Smith was on his feet and became confused as the train approached. After being hit he then fell across the line and was literally cut to pieces. Death would have been instantaneous. He was returning from a job in Rockley and it is thought he chose to walk on the line as the track was too muddy due to recent rain. A subsequent Inquest found that the deceased had come to his death by being accidentally run over by a train and exonerated the driver from all blame.

Sydenham derailment, 1901 Seven people were killed, including the fireman, and twenty six injured when a steam locomotive and two passenger cars derailed just south of Sydenham station.

The withdrawal of the F-class steam locomotives from passenger service was the result of this derailment. The train involved was the 5:55 pm from Sydney, bound for Hurstville. Shortly after passing Sydenham Junction, the engine suddenly left the rails, shot off the track to the left in the vicinity of the level crossing at Bridge Street, collided with and smashed the crossing gate and signal post and travelled some distance down Bridge Street before coming to a stand.Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin March 1952

Lithgow Zig-Zag, 1908 On 8 December 1908, a locomotive hauling a Sydney-bound stalled on the 1 in 30 gradient near the Clarence tunnel. The engine-driver decided to divide the train. Unfortunately the engineman's mate did not release the air in the brakes. The second portion of the trained rolled downwards. The train's guard fell from his guard van and was injured. However, the guard of a stationary goods train that the runaway wagons ran into was killed.

Ardglen Tunnel, 1909 On 27 November 1909, the fireman on engine T727 was scalded to death by escaping steam spewed from its funnel in the Ardglen Tunnel, between Werris Creek and Murrurundi.

Brooklyn, 1913 On 8 October 1913 at around 10:00 pm, a migrant who was employed as a packer on the railway, was run over by a north-bound train and killed. The body, which was terribly mutilated, was not found till about 6.00am the following morning (9th).

Exeter, 1914

On 13 March 1914, fourteen passengers killed and thirty-two injured when the Temora mail train crashed into a stationary train.

Moss Vale, 1914 On 12 May 1914, one killed and five injured in the vicinity of Bong Bong Bridge when an express goods train from Goulburn crashed into the rail trolley on which they were travelling.

Yass accident, 1916 On 6 May 1916, a driver was accidentally killed by a train at Yass Junction Railway Station.

Hurstville train disaster, 1920 On 30 August 1920, five people were killed when a train shunted into the back of a locomotive at Hurstville station.

Aberdeen accident, 1926 Derailment of Brisbane Express caused by faulty track and collapse of flood openings by washaways. Five people were killed and 39 injured.Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, April 1961 pp61-65

Murulla train accident, 1926

On 13 September 1926, a collision at Murulla. The collision resulted in the death of 26 persons.The Murulla Accident. Singleton, C.C. Australian Railway Historical Society Bulletin, June 1962 pp. 89–90(Gunn has 27 fatalities.)Along Parallel Lines – A History of the Railways of New South Wales, 1850 to 1986. Gunn, John. p387. Melbourne University Press, 1989, .

Eastwood, 1940 An engine driver was killed in similar circumstance to the Eastwood, 1948 accident detailed below.

Brooklyn, 1944 Total of sixteen were killed and at least four others critically injured following a collision on 15 January 1944 between the Tamworth mail train and a bus at a level crossing a short distance from Hawkesbury River station. The engine of the train struck the bus, which contained 21 passengers.

Central, 1947 On 24 December 1947, a man was struck and killed by a train at Central station.

Sefton, 1947 On 24 December 1947, a man was struck and killed by a train near Sefton station probably whilst crossing the line to visit his daughter's home.

Redfern, 1947 On 25 December 1947, a man collapsed and fell in front of a train. The man was killed.

Bundanoon/Tallong, 1947 On 23 December 1947, an army private, Bryan Williams (18), was killed on the roof of a train a result of his head striking an overhead bridge.

Rocky Ponds (Harden), 1948 On 30 June 1948, four persons were killed and 19 injured when the crowded South-West mail train plunged down a 9-metre (30 feet). embankment near Harden, about 370 km (230 miles) south of Sydney, just before 5 am.

Sodwalls, 1950 On 3 April 1950, a railway fireman was killed and the driver seriously injured when a petrol tanker on a derailed train blew up. The explosion happened when a railway embankment, weakened by heavy rain, collapsed, and the locomotive, with several trucks, plunged into a 30 ft deep cavity near Bathurst. The train was travelling between Tarana and Sodwalls at about 10 pm. It was pulling trucks carrying oil, timber, and at least one petrol tanker.

Berala train collision, 1952