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Accidents and Incidents 1990 - 2003

14-5-1990. A fuel tanker was derailed when it crashed into a $10,000 floodlight at the Mansell Reserve during shunting. The wagon was being shunted on tracks that were retained following the removal of the steam locomotive depot that previously occupied the area. There was concern expressed by the Sunraysia Women's Softball Association who used the reserve and Mildura West Kindergarten which is located next to the reserve, that the tanker could have exploded and caused a major disaster. A timber baulk and mound of earth was provided by V/Line at the end of the siding to prevent a recurrence of the accident.

24-8-1990. More than 7,500 of petrol spilled from a rail tanker at the Ampol siding in Red Cliffs railway yard about 10.20 a.m. Fire brigades from Red Cliffs and Mildura doused the highly flammable liquid with foam.

18-12-1990. The down Mildura block oil train was delayed at Birchip when a wagon derailed. The down "The Vinelander" heading for Mildura was terminated at Birchip and buses were used to bring passengers forward to Mildura. The derailed wagon was returned to the track in less than three hours and the train continued to Mildura.

8-2-1991. A 27 year old Portland man was lying on the tracks near Red Cliffs when "The Vinelander" passenger train on its way to Melbourne from Mildura passed over him. Police were called to the scene and the man was taken to Mildura Base Hospital with minor injuries.

9-7-1991. A woman was killed when she was hit by a goods train heading to Mildura. The woman was hit by the train about 6.50 a.m. about 4 km south of Redcliffs.

13-9-1991. X31 failed at Mildura with cooling fan problems. X42 which was scheduled to run the 4 p.m. Mildura to Melbourne Yard goods on Sunday 15-9-1991 replaced X31 on the 9 a.m. Mildura to Melbourne Yard goods and hauled X31 (dead), T387, T400, and H1. X40 was attached to the Down "The Vinelander" arriving at Mildura on 14-9-1991 to replace X31.

21-9-1991. N458 sustained damage to a bearing cap on a traction motor after leaving Ouyen on the Down "The Vinelander". It was scheduled to run the Up "The Vinelander" from Mildura on 22-9-1991 and was replaced by X44. N458 was repaired at Mildura on 23-9-1991 and attached behind X34 on the Mildura to Corio Up empty oil train.

15-6-1992. Wagon VLCX486 was derailed as the result of a shunting mishap at Mildura. The wagon was pushed over the baulk at the end of the short loading bank siding.

VLCX486 "over the wood" at the end of the short loading bank siding at Mildura. 15-6-1992. Photo: Bruce McLean

23-9-1992. A tank wagon and the Mildura pilot locomotive Y108 were derailed during shunting to the BP Oil Siding at the Chaffey Avenue, Mildura, level crossing at 10.30 a.m.. The derailment was caused by spreading track, which resulted in two wheels of the tank wagon and the leading bogie of Y108 to become derailed. There was danger involved and no interruption to road traffic.

The derailed tanker after passing over the Chaffey Avenue, Mildura, level crossing. The leading bogie of the locomotive, Y108, was also derailed. Stationmaster Mr. S. Hensgen, is inspecting the derailed bogie in this newspaper photograph from "Sunraysia Daily" 24-9-1992. Source: Bruce McLean Collection

24-6-1993. Two loaded grain wagons were derailed at Ouyen, blocking the main line and forcing the cancellation of "The Vinelander" from Mildura that night. Buses were arranged to provide transport for 67 passengers.

31-3-1994. A locomotive on an up goods train from Mildura caused a number of spot fires between Mildura and a point half way between Irymple and Redcliffs. A sticking brake on the locomotive was responsible for the outbreaks. The driver of the train, on noticing the problem, attended to the problem and the train continued its journey. The fires were attended by brigades from Mildura, Irymple and Redcliffs.

25-8-1995. Two T Class locomotives based at Ouyen to work the Pinnaroo line, T374 and T384, along with G516 were damaged during shunting operations at Cowangie. G516 sustained a small amount of body damage but the two T's were damaged sufficiently to require return to Dynon. Replacement locomotives T408 and T409 arrived at Ouyen on 28-8-1995 and were rostered to work to Pinnaroo the next day.

16-10-1996 X48 derailed at the IPC Siding points at Merbein at 7.50 a.m. during shunting operations. Spreading track was the cause of the derailment. Two cranes were required to rerail the locomotive.

Maintenance staff preparing to get X48 back onto the rails after it derailed during shunting operations at the IPC Siding at Merbein on 16-10-1996. Photo: Bruce McLean

5-1-1997 Two wagons on a goods train derailed 10 km on the up side of Kiamal due to extreme heat causing the tracks to buckle. The 10^th and 15^th wagons derailed leaving the middle four wagons on the tracks. A crane was used to re-rail the wagons and the train continued at a slow speed to Ouyen.

28-4-1997 Excessive heat conditions resulted in track speed conditions being imposed on sections of the line from Curyo to Mildura. Track work was required in the form of replacement sleepers and additional ballast and as this work proceeded restrictions were lifted.

The following table shows the extent of the heat-affected track:

Date	Section	Maximum Speed
28-4-1997	Curyo - Woomelang Woomelang - Gama Block Point Gama Block Point - Ouyen Ouyen - Mildura	80 km/h 65 km/h 80 km/h 65 km/h
8-5-1997	Curyo - Ouyen Ouyen - Mildura	80 km/h 65 km/h
15-5-1997	Curyo - Kiamal Kiamal - Mildura	80 km/h 65 km/h
27-5-1997	Curyo - Carwarp Carwarp - Mildura	80 km/h 65 km/h
30-5-1997	Curyo - Mildura	80 km/h

4-1-1998 In an act of vandalism, water was added to 50 tonnes of powdered cement in a rail wagon at Mildura. A hose from a fire hydrant was found to be running in through a manhole cover on top of the cement hopper wagon. It was discovered by railway staff at 3 a.m. and the decision was made to keep the cement powder moist to avoid it setting and causing a possible loss of the wagon from further use. The wagon was transferred to North Geelong with water being added during the journey. Railway staff at North Geelong had the resources to pump the wagon out.

10-10-2000 A man was killed when he was struck by a Melbourne-bound freight train near Redcliffs station. The man is believed to have purchased a take-away meal and sat on the railway tracks to consume the meal about 9 p.m.. Mildura police investigations indicated that the man may have fallen asleep, woke by the vibration of the railway line as the train approached and attempted to crawl clear.

29-5-2000 About seven thousand dollars of export grapes for Singapore were ruined after vandals tampered with the doors of four shipping containers on a Freight Australia goods train at Mildura. The containers, loaded at Merbein, were attacked by the vandals whilst the train was standing at Mildura from 7 p.m.. A Freight Australia employee noticed the tampered doors at 8.30 p.m. as the train was departing for Melbourne. The driver was notified by radio to stop his train and by the time it stopped between Benetook and Cowra Avenue level crossings, 26 cartons had fallen from their container.

????? (Unsubstantiated report) A85, hauling an up gypsum train from Ouyen, collided with a semi-trailer loaded with barley on the Patchewollock Road level crossing at Speed at 3.45 p.m.. The coupler and cowcatcher were damaged in the collision and had to be cut off. The damage to the front of the locomotive was so extensive that the nose from scrapped B68 was retrieved from a scrap yard in South Australia to replace the damaged one. (More information is sought on this collision)

19-9-2001. A B-double transport loaded with 60 bales of hay left the Ouyen Highway at Tutye about 4.30 a.m. and ploughed into a ditch, dislodging its load onto the nearby Ouyen to Pinnaroo railway line. A policeman was called from Murrayville to attend to the accident and learned that a grain train had left Ouyen for Pinnaroo and if not stopped, would plough into the hay. The policeman drove his vehicle towards Ouyen, found a straight stretch of track and parked his police car on the line with its red and blue lights flashing. The driver stopped his train and after being advised of the situation, drew his train forward to the accident scene. A loader was used to clear the bales of hay and the train driver, after inspecting the track, proceeded with his train about 8 a.m..

19-1-2002. An up grain train hauled by G516 and G534 with 56 wagons, was derailed about 7.30 p.m. as it was slowing down on the approach to Lascelles station in order to shunt. The driver observed that there was a large buckle over 10 metres of the rail surface and could not avoid his two locomotives and 8 wagons derailing all wheels and damaging a long section of track including the points to the Lascelles loop siding. Some of the wagons were heavily buried in sand. Only minor damage was sustained to the locomotives and the rolling stock all remained coupled. The Lascelles West road was blocked by the derailment. The only locomotive on the northern or down side of the derailment was G524 at Mildura. At 9 a.m. the following morning (Sunday 20-1-2002) G524 was sent light engine and brought the unaffected wagons back to Ouyen. G524 was left at Ouyen to provide further assistance, however it was returned to Mildura on Monday 21-1-2002 in order to shunt the Shell Siding. The loco then returned to Ouyen. In the meantime, the down Mildura goods was sent to Swan Hill and Freight Australia transports were sent from Mildura to bring loadings back.

During this period heavy lifting equipment was used to rerail the two locomotives and 8 wagons. The track was declared open for traffic 9.10 p.m. on 22-1-2002 after 3 days closure. G533 arrived the following morning at Mildura with 9141 down goods and departed that night with a load of 42 wagons as 9140 up goods.

The twisted remains of the down end points at Lascelles following the derailment on 19-1-2002. 20-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

The down end of Lascelles. It was decided not to replace the points pending the imminent standard gauge conversion program. 20-4-2002. Photo: Bruce McLean

1-7-2002. Eight VHGF grain wagons were derailed early in the morning at Ouyen when they traversed a set of points that had been altered by persons unknown. The wagons were at the rear of a departing train. The derailed wagons also caused minor damage to locomotive X34 standing on a parallel track in the yard. Two pairs of spare bogies held at Mildura were requisitioned for two of the damaged wagons.

21-2-2003. At approx. 7.30 a.m., 9141 Down Merbein goods was derailed at Hattah. A broken rail in the level crossing immediately north of the Hattah station yard was believed responsible for the derailment of the last 13 container wagons on the train and damage to about 400 metres of track. The forward portion of the train with locomotives G524 and X53 eventually departed for Merbein, arriving about 11 a.m..

Repair crews worked through the weekend and the track was open for traffic for 9140 Up goods on Sunday evening, although ballast had yet to be placed into the track. New sleepers were installed, replacing the damaged sleepers, weakened by heavy rainfall in the previous 24 hours.

Scene of the derailment at Hattah on 21-2-2003 showing the broken rail in the centre of the level crossing and the damaged track and derailed wagons. The photograph was taken in light rainfall about an hour after the incident occurred. Photo: Bruce McLean

26-2-2003. Three fire brigade appliances were sent to the Mildura railway yards about 4 p.m. to control a leaking 40,000 litre fuel tanker and wash fuel from the area. A blow off valve to release vapour as fuel expanded in the heat of the day, was not working.

It was decided to move the wagon to the Shell depot for discharging and police were called to escort the tanker as it was propelled along the tracks at a slow pace to avoid the leaking fuel exploding.