A preliminary report has been released from the ongoing transport safety investigation into the derailment of a suburban passenger train at Clifton Hill in Melbourne.
The derailment occurred on July 13 2025, when a Metro Trains Melbourne (MTM) X’Trapolis train was conducting a passenger service from Mernda to Flinders Street station.
After departing Rushall station towards Clifton Hill, the train initially accelerated to about 38 kilometres per hour before the driver reduced the speed in preparation for the right curve over the High Street bridge.
The train was proceeding through the curve at about 28 kilometres per hour, below the 40 kilometres per hour permitted speed, when the leading wheelset of the first bogie of the train’s fifth car derailed on the bridge.
The report details the series of events prior to, during and after the derailment, based on evidence gathered to date in the investigation being conducted for the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) by the Office of the Chief Investigator (OCI), under a collaboration agreement.
Mark Smallwood, Chief Investigator, said witness marks show the left wheel of the wheelset climbed over the left rail, towards the outside of the right curve.
“As a result of the leading wheelset moving to the left, the right wheel dropped to the inside of the right rail,” said Smallwood.
“Initially the derailed wheels moved along the sleepers in close proximity to the rails.
“However, once off the bridge deck, the path of the derailed wheelset began to move further to the left until the front left corner of the fifth car and its first bogie struck a stanchion, part of an overhead wiring gantry.”
The impact of the bogie with the stanchion further rotated the bogie in an anti-clockwise direction, derailing its trailing axle.
The stanchion was substantially damaged by the impact, which caused the overhead wire that supplied electrical power to trains to move and lose tension.
This resulted in electrical arcing between the overhead wire and the train.
Alerted by the electrical arcing and overhead wire movement, the drivers made a brake application to stop the train. In total the train travelled about 120 metres in a derailed state.
The train, track and overhead infrastructure were damaged in the derailment, but none of the approximately 30 passengers, nor the two drivers, were injured.
After the derailment, passengers were moved into the leading car of each three-car set (the first and fourth cars of the train) to wait until it was safe to detrain. Detraining was completed about three hours after the derailment.
Angus Mitchell, Chief Commissioner of ATSB, said the full investigation will include analysis of factors potentially related to the nature of the derailment, including rolling stock wheel and suspension component condition, track condition and maintenance, and wheel to rail contact conditions.
“The investigation will also consider the emergency response to the derailment and overhead damage,” said Mitchell.
“Should a critical safety issue be identified prior to the conclusion of the investigation, relevant parties will be notified immediately so appropriate and timely safety action can be taken.”
A final report will be released at the conclusion of the investigation.
