West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879 - 1954), Friday 25 August 1939, page 18


RAILWAY COLLISION. TWO LOCOMOTIVES CAPSIZE. Accident at Central Station. On lines north of the main passenger platforms at the central railway station yesterday morning two locomotives which were shunting collided and capsized. None of the four members of the crew was injured and little damage resuited. Officials have been given reports of the occurrence and an inquiry will be held. The accident occurred near points where Y road converges on Z road. Y road runs parallel with the road on the northern side of No. 7 platform, and Z road connects with the carriage eheds at the western end of the station. Between the two roads are two other short lines which run to dead ends. Shortly after 8 o'clock one of the locomotives had pushed three empty passenger coaches from one of the five lines passing under the Beaufort-street bridge and was drawn up on the western side of the points where Y and Z lines converge. The lomotive was uncoupled from the coaches and, after standing for several minutes, commenced to move bunkerfirst towards the points. At the same moment a second locomotive moving bunker-first started towards the points along Z line. Colliding with a resounding crash, .both locomotives toppled over away from the point of collision. The crews jumped clear, except the driver of the locomotive on Y line, who was still inside the cab when the locomotive went over. A breakdown train was summoned from East Perth and the work of lifting the locomotives and restoring them to the lines with the aid of the 25-ton crane was watched by crowds lining the nearest platform and the rails of the Beaufort-street bridge. The first locomotive was set on the rails about noon and the second an hour later. They were towed to the East Perth depot for examination.