Summary

Black and white photograph of the railway accident at Sunshine, on Easter Monday 1908, the worst railway disaster in Australian history.

Part of a collection of photographs, negatives, moving film, artefacts, documents and trade literature belonging to the H. V. McKay Sunshine Collection. The McKay collection is regarded as one of the most significant industrial heritage collections in Australia. The collection relates to the agricultural manufacturing firm, the Sunshine Harvester Works. The Australian operations of this company were originally founded by Hugh V. McKay in the 1890s in Ballarat. Between 1906 and 1907, McKay moved production to Sunshine where the firm became one of the largest industrial businesses in Australia. Change in ownership is a recurring theme in the company's history. In 1930, it merged with Massey-Harris to become H.V McKay Massey Harris. In the mid-1950s, the company was absorbed by Canadian agricultural firm Massey-Ferguson. Production in Sunshine ceased in the mid-1980s, following almost 100 years of manufacturing agricultural equipment.

Description of Content

Men stand on a platform littered with wood and debris beside the remains of a damaged train carriage. The roof of the carriage has been separated and sits on the platform, the body completely destroyed with only the undercarriage visible. It is still in place on the railway tracks with an intact carriage connected at either end. A train beside the wrecked carriage carries male and female passengers who lean out the window in order to get a better view of the accident.

Physical Description

Black and white photograph.

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