Noel Butlin Archives Centre

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The Noel Butlin Archives Centre holds internationally significant collections of records from Australian companies, trade unions, industry bodies, professional associations, peak representative bodies and individuals associated with businesses and the labour movement. Selected records, photographs, slides, maps, plans and newsletters from a range of organisations and individuals are being digitised progressively and made available through this repository. All pre-Federation trade union minute books listed on the Australian Memory of the World Register are digitised.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website contains images, voices and names of people who are deceased. Please be aware that words and descriptions reflect the period in which they were created and may be culturally insensitive or considered inappropriate today.

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Now showing 1 - 11 of 11

Open Access
Burwood tramway disaster, Sydney
(2004-02-25T22:27:16Z) Photographer: not known
Photograph of a damaged tram engine in the foreground, a crowd of people and further down the road, other tram parts including a line of carriages. The engine contains wreckage. On the far side of the engine may be an accident train. The crowd includes a number of children as well as a man in a white helmet and trousers.The 25/A tram's direction box displays: ENFIELD and BURWOOD ROAD. The accident probably happened on the Ashfield/ Burwood/ Mortlake/ Cabarita tramway service that operated out of Enfield tram depot. This photograph is in William Ellis' collection of material on railway matters possibly because, from 1898 to 1930, the NSW tramways were under the control of the Railway Commissioners .
Open Access
Derailment at Stanwell Park, New South Wales
(2004-02-25T22:27:10Z) Photographer: M. William John Ellis
Photograph of a damaged train alongside a railway platform in hilly, wooded country. Near the station one carriage roof is at a steep angle and next to it is some buckled wreckage. An engine and coal carriage to the right of the scene appear unscathed. A number of passengers, mostly women and children walk along the platform towards the station. A newspaper report on a 1910 derailment at Stanwell Park noted that that portion of the South Coast line was notorious for railway mishaps because of sharp curves and steep embankments.The picture was probably taken by William Ellis during the thirteen years he was examining fitter and fitter in charge of the Sydney accident train. In the course of his work, he examined thousands of engines and attended hundreds of derailments and other accidents.
Open Access
Fire in main store, Rockhampton
Open Access
Railway accident at Aberdeen, New South Wales
(2004-02-25T22:27:26Z) Smith's Weekly photographer
Photograph of derailed train carriages, a damaged railway track and piers, and onlookers. Three carriages lie on their sides and the ruins of another part of the train can be seen further along the line. Other wreckage is scattered around the scene. Two men in official-looking peaked caps converse in the foreground. The track at this point is elevated on timber piers and in the distance the line runs between thick walls surmounted by metal arches. Telegraph poles run alongside the track and there is a number of buildings in the scene. Grazing animals in the far right suggest that the surrounding area is semi-rural. On the night of 10 June 1926, five people died and thirteen were injured when the Brisbane express train, hauled by two engines, fell through a timber bridge. One of the engines was of the NN type, which William Ellis had worked with for many years at the Eveleigh maintenance workshops. Ellis was shown photographs of the Aberdeen accident and was interviewed by the Smith's Weekly as to the causes of the derailment. He believed this engine type had a defect and excerpts from his diary were published to support his argument that the engines were continually in the workshop for repairs. He was subsequently called as a witness to the coronial inquiry. The coroner found that the track was not in a condition to carry safely an NN engine travelling at a greater speed than 35 miles an hour.
Open Access
Railway accident at Aberdeen, New South Wales
(2004-02-25T22:27:29Z) Smith's Weekly photographer
Photograph of derailed engine and carriage, other train wreckage and onlookers. An undamaged engine can be seen further along the line and on the left is a crane on a cart. Telegraph poles and a damaged wire and post fence run alongside the track. In the background can be seen more fences, trees, houses and other buildings. There are two horses on the left. On the night of 10 June 1926 five people died and thirteen were injured when the Brisbane express train, hauled by two engines, fell through a timber bridge. One of the engines was of the NN type, which William Ellis had worked with for many years at the Eveleigh maintenance workshops. Ellis was shown photographs of the Aberdeen accident and was interviewed by the Smith's Weekly as to the causes of the derailment. He believed this engine type had a defect and excerpts from his diary were published to support his argument that the engines were continually in the workshop for repairs. He was subsequently called as a witness to the coronial inquiry. The coroner found that the track was not in a condition to carry safely an NN engine travelling at a greater speed than 35 miles an hour.
Open Access
Removing dead from Spencer Street railway station, Melbourne
(2004-02-25T22:27:02Z) Sutcliff, photographer
Photograph that shows two men carrying a coffin on a railway platform. Others on the platform include four men in metal helmets and two in dark helmets with insignia. There are a large number of chairs ranged along the walls of the station building. The building's walls are timber and the roof is of corrugated iron. The gable features exposed beams in the Tudor style. Signs painted on the two sets of glass doors indicate that the station has both a smoking and a waiting room. There are two conflicting hand-written captions associated with this picture. One places the scene at Coledale on the NSW coast, while that on the back of the print suggests that the image is connected with the accident at Sunshine, on the outskirts of Melbourne. If the latter is correct, then the coffin is likely to be that of one of the accident victims. The Sunshine accident occurred when the Easter Monday special train from Bendigo passed stop signals and collided with the rear of a train from Ballarat that was standing at the station. 44 people died and 431 were injured in what until 1956 was Australia's worst railway accident.
Open Access
Stanford Merthyr Colliery Disaster - main tunnel after explosion
Photographer: A. Galloway
Postcard showing damage to main tunnel at Stanford Merthyr Colliery in the Hunter Valley following an explosion which killed six men.
Open Access
Train accident at Sunshine, Victoria
(2004-02-25T22:26:57Z) Photographer: not known
Photograph of various people gathered at the end of a railway platform where there is a conjunction of railway tracks. Some trains can be seen in the distance. Several of the men seem to be scrutinising the tracks. The country beyond the railway lines includes paddocks and large buildings that look like warehouses or factories. The sign on one building proclaims: HARVESTER WORKS. The Sunshine accident occurred when the Easter Monday special train from Bendigo passed stop signals and collided with the rear of a train from Ballarat that was standing at the station. 44 people died and 431 were injured in what until 1956 was Australia's worst railway accident.
Open Access
Train accident at Sunshine, Victoria
(2004-02-25T22:26:59Z) Photographer: not known
Photograph of train wreckage on the Sunshine railway platform. The wreckage includes timber doors and wheel axels. Various men, including a man carrying a shovel are on the tracks. On the further platform a photographer has set up his camera and a number of men are lined up in front of him.There are many onlookers, some of whom are trying to look in over a high timber fence. Parts of trains can be seen in the distance. The station sign: SUNSHINE, is visible on the right. The Sunshine accident occurred when the Easter Monday special train from Bendigo passed stop signals and collided with the rear of a train from Ballarat that was standing at the station. 44 people died and 431 were injured in what until 1956 was Australia's worst railway accident.
Open Access
Train crash at Murrurundi, New South Wales
(Published in an unspecified newspaper on an unspecified date. Cutting in album compiled by Ellis, File E80-60-003, 2004-02-25T22:26:45Z) Photographer: not known
Photograph of train engines, one sloping fuel carriage and wreckage. One engine has a number; 27, painted on it and another has; 154. A number of people examine the crash while four boys look in the direction of the camera. Three of the boys are bare-footed.There is a post and wire fence running alongside the track. The accident, which occurred on a dark and cloudy night near the goods shed, involved the collision of three engines and resulted in a number of serious injuries, but no fatalities. An official inquiry was held into whether the accident was caused by faulty signal lights. One train was the Brisbane mail train, driven by William B. McCullum, and another was the Glen Innes mail driven by Thomas Davis.
Open Access
Train crash at Murrurundi, New South Wales
(2004-02-25T22:26:47Z) Photographer: not known
Photograph of boys at the scene of a train accident. The three engines involved in the collision are lined up on the track with the coal tender of one pressed into a slanting position. One boy rides on a cylindrical piece of wreckage, while another holds a hammer-shaped object in his hands. All three boys wear hats and knee-length pants and one is bare-footed. In the background can be seen railway carriages, the station, the wrecked back of another carriage and a train on the far right. One engine has a number; 695, painted on it. The accident, which occurred on a dark and cloudy night near the goods shed resulted in a number of serious injuries, but no fatalities. An official inquiry was held into whether the accident was caused by faulty signal lights. One train was the Brisbane mail train, driven by William B. McCullum, and another was the Glen Innes mail driven by Thomas Davis.

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Browsing Noel Butlin Archives Centre by Subject "accidents & disasters"