The locomotive in the cover picture is from https://www.victorianrailways.net/ and is described as a Walschaert A2 in as-built condition in black livery circa the 1920s.
Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Monday 6 February 1922, page 7
A dreadful railway accident took place in the dark hours of Saturday morning between Macedon and Gisborne, on the main trunk line to Bendigo and Echuca. Thirteen trucks and a guard's van which had broken away from a goods train at the top of a steep incline near Woodend rolled back down the gradient at a rapidly increasing speed. Rushing back through Macedon station at an alarming pace -variously estimated amongst railwaymen at from 50 to 70 miles an hour — the trucks and the van flashed down upon the engine of a goods train which had been following the first train all the way up the line from Sunshine. At the moment of impact, which was of great velocity, the advancing train was going forward at about 15 miles an hour. The guard in the runaway van was killed, while the engine crew of the second train were injured. The noise of the collision was heard several miles away, and the wreckage bore testimony to a terrific impact. Pieces of rolling stock were scattered over both grades and flung down an embankment. No passenger trains were actually concerned in the smash, but the circumstances of the occurrence contained all the elements of a sensational accident. A consequent blockage of the up and down grades on the line resulted in delay to the morning passenger train schedules.
The casualties were: —
DAVID EDWARD EVANS, railway guard, 48 years.
G. KELLAM, engine driver, 22 Clark -street, Port Melbourne, shock and abrasions.
P. CHANDLER, fireman, 136 Roden-street, West Melbourne, shock and abrasions.
News of the occurrence was received by the Railway Commissioners first in the form of official departmental telegrams, while later on officials at Melbourne headquarters ascertained details on the interstation telephone system. It was learned that the disaster had been caused by a sensational breakaway of portion of a long "double-header" "through" Bendigo goods train which had left Melbourne the previous night. Thirteen trucks and the guard's van with the guard on board had dashed backwards down a steep incline on the Melbourne side of Woodend until they had been smashed in collision with the engine of a following goods train between Gisborne and Macedon.
The first goods train, consisting of 45 trucks and a van, drawn by two heavy engines - an "A2" and a "DD", passed through Footscray and Sunshine on Friday evening, and at 1.30 a.m. on Saturday it was ascending the hilly country in the vicinity of Macedon and Woodend. The goods train passed through Gisborne and Macedon presumably all in order and went on towards Woodend, but before that station was reached the cause of the incident which led to the subsequent smash developed, and the train broke in two. Just before 2 a.m. the staff at Macedon station were provided with the horrifying spectacle of the van and thirteen of the trucks, which had gone through the station a few minutes previous attached to the goods train, rushing backwards at awe-inspiring speed — estimated by railway employees at about 50 or 60 miles an hour — in an "up" direction on the "down" grade. In the meantime, a goods train (A2 engine, 41 empty trucks), which had been following the first goods all the way from Sunshine, had passed through Gisborne and was nearing Macedon. It was approximately halfway between the two stations when it met the runaway vehicles from the first train.
Originally the second goods train had started its journey at 7.15 p.m. on the Friday about an hour before the first train, but after pulling out of Newport wheat siding with its 41 empty trucks, it was held at Sunshine in order to allow the "through" Bendigo goods train to get ahead on the lines. At Sunshine, the engine, driver and fireman of the second train watched the passing of the train which ultimately provided them with the exciting and narrow escape from death.
The impact of the collision was very severe. With a tremendous crash and a report to be heard for a considerable distance away the detached van and tracks smashed upon the engine of the second train. The van and four of the thirteen trucks were completely wrecked, while the remainder were damaged to varying degrees, and some were derailed. The front portion of the second goods engine was severely damaged. Debris, ranging from loose axles, wheels and bent pieces of steel to smashed and splintered woodwork, lay across the line, effectually blocking both tracks. Coal and bricks, the contents of the smashed trucks, also contributed to the general wreckage. Driver Kellam and Fireman Chandler, of the second goods train, received a heavy shaking and painful abrasions about their bodies.
As for the unfortunate occupant of the runaway guard's van, his body was found about 200 yards from the main wreckage. He had apparently been killed after a brief but terrible period in which he must have realised that his van, in its headlong rush down the grade, was almost sure to meet a train, the crew of which would be powerless to avoid a collision.
Immediately on receipt of news of the disaster at Melbourne railways offices, the casualty train and steam crane left for the scene of the disaster. The passenger trains delayed by the blockage to the line were the 6.25 train from Bendigo to Melbourne, which reached Woodend at 9.40 a.m. and the 6.40 a.m Melbourne to Bendigo train, which reached Gisborne at 8.36 a.m., and passengers on these trains had to be transferred across the scene of the smash. The "down" grade was cleared of the wreckage by noon, and the "up" track was clear at 2 p.m. Mails and papers from the delayed passenger train left Gisborne at 12.15 p.m. on Saturday.
The country in the neighbourhood of Saturday's disaster is difficult for railway traction. In the case of "down" trains — trains coming from Melbourne — there is a steady rise in the height of the country above sea level over a distance of about twenty miles, which includes some steep portions of track with gradients of as much as 1 in 50 at certain parts. Consequently, a heavy haulage strain is placed on all laden trains traversing this line. After passing through the suburban area at Sunshine in a north-westerly direction and reaching Diggers' Rest, the line proceeds due north to Lancefield Junction, thirty-one miles from Melbourne, and 1071 feet above sea level. From this junction the line turns in a north-westerly direction up the heights to Macedon and Woodend. Four miles from Lancefield Junction comes Riddell station, 1205 feet above sea level. Next is Gisborne, 1526 feet above the sea; then three miles further on is Macedon station, through which the runaway van and trucks passed immediately prior to the smash, 1660 feet above sea level, and nearly 200 feet lower than the country at the site of the next station, Woodend, which the first of the two goods trains involved in the disaster was approaching when its rear portion broke away and commenced its dash to destruction. Had the first train succeeded in getting through to the other side of Woodend the accident might have been avoided or at all events the consequences of the breakaway would probably have been less serious, for between Woodend and Kyneton the country begins to decrease in height above sea level.
In the absence from Melbourne of Mr H. W. Clapp, chairman of Commissioners, the official announcement on behalf of the Commissioners was made on Saturday by Mr Commissioner Shannon, as follows: —
"A serious collision between two goods trains occurred between Macedon and Woodend at 1.50 a.m. today. The 8.15 p.m. (Friday evening) through Bendigo goods train left Melbourne on time with 45 vehicles hauled by two engines, A2 and DD classes (Drivers T Garland and T Monaghan, Firemen T. Lalor and C. Straughair, and Guard D. F. Evans), and when at a point between the two stations named the rear portion of the train, consisting of 13 vehicles and van, broke away and ran back on the 'down' line through Macedon station, and at a point about a mile and a half on the 'up' side of the station collided with an oncoming goods train which had followed the previous train from Melbourne.
"Guard Evans was killed outright, while four trucks and van were wrecked and other vehicles damaged.
"The train crew of the second train Driver G. Kellan and Fireman P Chandler) were considerably knocked about, but not seriously injured. "Both the up and down tracks were blocked, and the casualty train, with the steam crane, left Melbourne at 3 a.m. Passengers travelling per the up and down morning passenger trains had to be transferred across the scene of the collision."
The smash came upon the crew of the second train like a bolt from the blue. All was darkness as the second goods train tore along. One moment the runaway vehicles were practically out of sight in the dark distance; the next they were right upon the following train.
Interviewed yesterday at his home at West Melbourne, Fireman P. Chandler, of the second train, said: — "We were travelling along at about 15 miles an hour. From my window on the fireman's side of the engine, I saw what was apparently the red light of Macedon 'down-distant' signal in the distance. I stooped down and had just picked up my shovel to resume firing when the smash and confusion came upon us. The smash was terrific, and the air was full of flying debris, .pieces of wood, iron, brick and coal, &c. Through the window out of which I had been looking on the line when I saw the supposed 'distant' signal light, there came a heavy beam of wood, which finished up behind on our tender. This piece of wood would have meant my death, but for the fact that I had got down to the boiler with the shovel to fire up. For a few seconds, we were nearly knocked unconscious. When we surveyed our engine we found an extraordinary sight. Piled up on top of our boiler was a mass of wreckage so mixed that it was impossible to say how many truck remains were on top of us. The noise of the collision was deafening and must have been heard many miles away. In accordance with departmental practice, I commenced to make the best progress I could towards Woodend to protect the 'up' side of our train, while my mate or the guard saw to the protection of the Gisborne side. Wreckage was all over both grades. Our own train had been forced back down the line a bit, and the doors had been wrenched off our trucks by the concussion. The truck doors lay along the track. About 200 yards from the scene of the wreckage I saw the body of the guard of the run-away train. I spoke to him but got no answer. He did not appear to be breathing at all. He had probably endeavoured to let down the hand brakes of each truck on finding that the automatic air brakes had not stopped the runaway vehicles. I crawled on towards Macedon. In my condition, it was hard work going in the darkness over the sleepers. About halfway along I met Mr Pennington, the station master of Macedon, coming along the line. I explained the circumstances of the disaster, as I knew them, to him. Had we been on a light engine instead of the big 'A2,' I think we would have been properly smashed up as well as the guard of the first train."
Driver G. Kellam, who resides at Port Melbourne, said his train of 42 empty trucks had pulled out of "Anzac siding," Newport, at about 7.15, pm, on Friday. On reaching Sunshine, however, they were held up in order to give preference to the 8.15 p.m. through goods from Melbourne to Bendigo. This was in accordance with the departmental regulation by which a laden goods train with perishable goods amongst its loads gets preference over an empty train. "At Lancefield Junction," he said, "We learned that there were two trains behind us as well as the Bendigo goods in front. All went well until we were through Gisborne and approaching Macedon about 1:50 a.m. Then I suddenly became aware that something was in front of us - something that came like a flash out of the darkness — and the next instant we were enveloped. The noise woke up people for miles around. My engine seemed to hold her own for some seconds, then she commenced to slip. I immediately shut off steam. Our coal fell down from our tender and half-buried my fireman. Coal and bricks from the wrecked trucks came on in from the front. Three of the trucks in my train were derailed, the doors were shaken off, and the wheels and axles of many were twisted. Part of the runaway van was hanging on the handrails of our boiler, while another part was on the other side of the boiler. One funnel had gone, the front part of the engine was stove in and the front bogie was off the rails. The front portion of the van had been lifted right over the rails and deposited down the 15 feet embankment. The guard of my train was almost stunned for some seconds by the force of the jolt when our train was jammed up. His head was cut and he was attended to by a doctor. Of the thirteen runaway trucks four or five were smashed, while others were derailed. Repair gangs came up from Macedon, but they could not make much progress until the breakdown train and the steam crane came from Melbourne. The part of my train which was still movable was taken back to Gisborne by the engine of one of the following trains. The goods train which had lost the breakaway vehicles took the remaining portion of the train to Bendigo. My mate and I were subsequently relieved, and we came down to Melbourne on Saturday afternoon as passengers. The steam crane and breakdown gangs went on throughout the rest of the morning, and by the afternoon most of the wreckage, I understand, was cleared away."
Driver Kellam added that he had heard subsequently from indirect source that the first train had to pull up on the top of the embankment near Woodend in order to get up a fresh head of steam, and that it was when starting off again that the rear trucks had broken away.
Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Monday 6 February 1922, page 7
The body of the deceased guard was taken first to an hotel at Gisborne, and afterwards was brought to the City Morgue.
Railway officials stated last evening that the full formal departmental inquiry would not take place until after the Coroner's inquest. Departmental officials from head-quarters had paid a visit to the scene of the disaster on Saturday afternoon. Preliminary reports from the train crews would be taken this morning.
Amongst the matters to be investigated by the department will be the question of the cause of the breakaway — how the couplings gave way - and the question of the effect of the Westinghouse brake installation, which is supposed to come into operation immediately the train connection is broken, and the air pressure is reduced, as would be the case when portion of a train breaks away. The automatic application of the air brakes in these circumstances should apply to both sections of the train — the runaway vehicles and the train still coupled to the engine, for the air pipe would be open at the disconnected end and the reduction or absence of pressure should let the brakes close on the wheels.
MACEDON— Guard Evans was killed instantly. In addition to other injuries, one of his legs was cut off below the knee. The rate of speed of the van and trucks must have been more than 60 miles per hour. The incline at the spot is very steep.