Often described as one of the worst crashes in the history of the NSW Government Rail, the accident happened at 5.05 am, when the South-West Mail train plunged over a nine metre embankment, killing four passengers and injuring a further 19.

The train left Galong at 4.57 am on a cool and still morning.

The moon was reported to be in a waning crescent, so it was also quite dark.

The driver, 58 year old Ernest Nolan reported seeing sparks before the engine started to lurch to the left before rolling down the embankment and ploughing into the dirt.

31 year old fireman Norman Jeffrey ended up standing on the roof of the engine cab, knee deep in coal. He looked around for Mr Nolan, who had been buried by coal.

He was able to dig the driver out and although suffering minor injuries and being badly shaken up by what had occurred, the two men realised they had to notify someone of their predicament before another train entered the accident site from either direction.

Railway procedure stated that an approaching train must be stopped by an appropriate hand signal and a series of detonators placed on the line of the accident at 400 yards, 800 yards and three detonators placed 10 yards apart, not less than 1200 yards from the accident.

Mr Jeffrey grabbed the detonators and upon realising that the hand lamp was smashed, took the lenses and disappeared into the darkness toward Harden.

Mr Nolan needed to protect the accident site from the Albury mail train, which was travelling some 25 minutes behind them along the same line, and head off to find their guard, Henry Turner.

Making his way along the wreckage, he was met by passenger Harry Power,  who volunteered to make his way to the nearest farmhouse, ‘Camden Springs’ to raise the alarm.

Mr Turner had managed to climb out of the wreckage and re-lit his lamp. He met with Mr Nolan and satisfied that the accident site was safe, followed in the direction of Mr Power to the farmhouse.

As he reached the top of the embankment, he saw the headlight of the ‘Boorowa Mixed’ train nearing the Spring Creek Bridge. He was only 180 metres from the accident site and knew he would have to think quickly to alert the driver.

As the train’s cab drew closer, he lit a match and held it behind the red lens he had earlier taken from the broken lamp. Thankfully, the driver saw his signal and was able to stop the train.

Mrs Ethel Knight-Gregson, owner of ‘Camden Springs’ was woken by loud knocking and was advised of the crash and tried to telephone for help, but the phone lines were down. She drove Mr Power to her neighbour, Mr Don Collins at ‘Beechwood’. Mr Collins, realising that the wreckage had knocked down the telephone lines, drove Mr Power into Harden, where he raised the alarm.

According to the July 2, 1948 edition of the Harden Murrumburrah Express, an ambulance driver described the scene of the accident as ‘resembling a battlefield.’

“Many of the dead and injured were in the first carriage, which was crumpled to splinters and even the steel undercarriage was bent like fencing wire.”

“The engine, after leaving the rails, turned almost upside down and embedded itself into the embankment about 10 feet from the permanent way”

On the 70th Anniversary of this tragic event, the Express would like to remember those who where killed: Mrs Jane  Burne, 73, from Leeton; Keith Shuttleworth, 27 from Leeton; Stanley Walsh, 23, from Naranderra and Arthur Churchlin, 60, from Sydney.