28 May 1878, the coupling on a ballast carriage between the tracks and train failed. There were two fatalities, and at least one other injured. An inquest held on 5 June 1878 at Murrurundi cleared all persons of negligence. Bethungra (Cootamundra) train disaster, 1885 On 25 January 1885, the Melbourne-Sydney mail train derailed between Bethungra and Cootamundra, killing seven and injuring over 20. The cause was a washaway of a culvert over Salt Clay Creek during a period of heavy rainfall. See also Salt Clay Creek railway disaster Peats Ferry, 1887 On 21 June 1887, an excursion train from Sydney ran out of control down the steep Cowan Bank. There were two other trains full of holidaymakers standing at the platforms at Hawkesbury River station and disaster was only averted by the alert station master who could hear the roaring engine and frantic whistling. He dispatched a railway porter to throw the points lever open and divert the runaway down a siding that led to the new bridge site. The train lost speed along the railway causeway out to Long Island and collided with some empty wagons. The locomotive slid off the embankment and ended up partially submerged in the river. The engine driver was trapped in the cabin and drowned but the fireman escaped. The toll was six dead and seventy injured. The Bathurst Accident, 1890 On 25 April 1890, an Up mixed train, after shunting at Kelso, climbed the 1 in 50 grade to Raglan where it again stopped to unload parcels as well as pick and set down passengers. The drawbar between the third and fourth vehicles broke, releasing the bulk of the train which commenced to run back down the hill, there being no continuous air-brake throughout the train. The runaway vehicles ran all the way down the grade, across the Macquarie River Railway Bridge and into Bathurst yard where they collided with the following goods train. Four passengers in the rear of the Mixed train were killed and three others injured. Tarana, 1892 On 27 April 1892, eight passengers were killed by a derailment of the rear carriages of a western-bound mail train caused by a broken rail. Redfern Rail Collision, 1894 On 31 October 1894, the 9.31 am, six carriage local train travelling from Strathfield was approaching the terminus at Redfern. As the train reached the signalbox, it was hit without warning by the