Murulla rail accident

The Murulla rail accident involved the collision of the Sydney-bound Northern Mail with runaway goods wagons near Murrurundi, in the Upper Hunter Valley on 13 September 1926; 26 persons died.

The signal box at Murulla controlled a loop line for trains to pass on a single-line railway; no other connections were at the location.

After a number of attempts to fit a tailrope, the brake van had been shunted back, foul of the clearance point for the loop line.

[3] On 6 December, the driver and guard appeared at the Central Criminal Court, charged with felonious slaying one of the mail train's passengers.

The crown prosecutor alleged, "if the accused failed to link up the air brakes when the appliances were there, they were guilty of gross negligence.

"[3] In his summing up, Justice Ferguson said, "the charge of manslaughter could be established only if the crown proved gross negligence, criminal in character, and deserving of punishment".