THE MURULLA RAILWAY DISASTER
Twenty-seven people lost their lives and 42 injured as a result of a midnight train collision in the Upper Hunter Valley on Sept. 13, 1926 near Murrurundi, New South Wales. Breaking away from a goods train at Murulla, four cars laden with wool dashed backwards down a gradient and crashed into the oncoming north-west mail train from Moree to Sydney. Many of the passengers were children returning to school from holiday. Sometimes referred to as the Blandford railway accident, as the crash occurred before the community of Brandford,in an area bordered by both Brandford and Murulla districts.


Daughter of Alfred Ireland and Mary Ann Ireland.

Married 1) William Cox in 1899 in New South Wales. Together they became the parents of Henry Cox, Violet Mary (Cox) Radnidge, and Cyril William Cox.

Married 2) Reuben Edward Ackland in 1918. Together they were the parents of Kevin John Ackland.

Her youngest son was maimed and her husband was thrown clear of the train in the crash.



MRS. R. ACKLAND
Mrs. Ackland, another victim of the tragic affair, was the wife of Mr. Reuben Ackland, and formerly resided at Wingen, where her husband was employed on the railway. The late Mrs. Ackland, who was returning from Murrurundi, was accompanied by a young daughter[sic], who escaped almost -unscathed.

The Scone Advocate (NSW)
Tuesday 14 September 1926


MRS. R. ACKLAND
The remains of Mrs. Acklund, wife of Mr. Reuben Ackland, were laid to rest in the Scone R.C. Cemetery on Tuesday afternoon, the cortege comprising a goodly number of relatives and sympathisers. Comparatively a stranger here, the deceased, who was 44 years of age, had resided at Wingen for upwards of three years prior to coming to Scone some months ago, and was, we understand, a native of the Tamworth district. The day previously to the disaster she had been visiting some friends at Murrurundi. Her husband, who is a fettler in the railway service, was injured in the smash, as also was the infant daughter. The coffin bore a number of beautiful floral tributes. Rev. F. D. Kilgallin took the service both at St. Mary's R.C. Church and at the R.C. cemetery, Scone, where the scene, as the remains were committed to the grave, was a most touching one.

The Scone Advocate (NSW)
Friday 17 September 1926, p.2

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Other Deaths:
ACKLAND, Catherine Sarah (Ireland), Scone Catholic Cemetery
ADAMS, Arthur Edgar, South Head Cemetery
ANDERTON, Azubah (Davison), Helensburgh Cemetery
BRUSH, Alfred Charles "Stumpy", Moree Cemetery
DOYLE, Janet, Quirindi General Cemetery
DUNBAR, John, Scone Anglican Cemetery
FRIPP, Ada Methven, Murrurundi General Cemetery
GARLAND, Elizabeth, Haydonton Cemetery
GILES, John, Penrith General Cemetery
GILES, Sarah A (Price), Penrith General Cemetery
JEFFERSON, Albert, Sandgate Cemetery
JURD, Arthur George Oswald, Moree Cemetery
MALLETT, Sydney Sustains, Rookwood Cemetery
MALONE, Kathleen, Rookwood Cemetery
McDONALD, Emily, Carlingford Anglican Cemetery
McGRATH, Owen Vincent, Waverley Cemetery
McKEOWN, Frank, Tamworth Cemetery
McMILLAN, Walter Kenneth, Waverley Cemetery
MOCKRIDGE, John Reuben, Rookwood Necropolis and Taita Cemetery
NOLLER, Stanley Augustus, Mays Hill Cemetery
RICH, Howard J., Sandgate Cemetery
VAGIANIS, Peter, Murrurundi General Cemetery
SAMPSON, Olive Clarice, Gunnedah General Cemetery
WALKER, John Errol, Sandgate Cemetery
WALKER, Helen "Nellie" (Pollock), Sandgate Cemetery
WILSON, William H., Haydonton Cemetery
WILSON, Flora Dundas (Campbell), Haydonton Cemetery

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