The Death of Station Master, George Wyles.

1909 "F" Class Locomotive SLSA: [B 11082] 

  George Wyles was a well-respected Station Master in Adelaide. In March 1926, he was sent to the Ethelton Railway Station to relieve Station Master, Charles Field, who was on his annual leave. On his second day on the job, Wyles was struck by the 7:20pm freight train from Port Adelaide to Outer Harbour.

  John C. Cutt witnessed the tragic accident. In his statement, he described the events that unfolded. Cutt said that Wynes left the eastern platform heading towards the ticket box of the western platform. Wynes was crossing the line when he noticed a freight train was bearing down on him. Wynes jumped to try and get out the way, but the train engine struck him on the shoulder, throwing him into the nearby fence. Wynes tried to grab the fence, but rebounded off it, into the fourth and fifth carriages of the train, pulling him underneath, and dragging him along the line.^[1]

Another witness, John Taylor came forward at the inquest and stated:

 "the engine, which was of the F-class had five box trucks and a brake van attached to it. Mr Wynes had been across the line to give the 7.27 p.m. passenger train from Ethelton to Adelaide the ''right-of-way"' and was returning to the ticket office on the other side when the goods train went through on its way to Outer Harbour. The engine driver saw the man trying to cross the line, blew, the whistle sang out to him, and applied the emergency brake.”[2]

 The police and a doctor were called. Dr K.W. Bollen attended and pronounced Wyles dead. He stated that his injuries were horrific. Wyles' head was “shockingly mutilated, the skull being split right open, and his face was battered beyond recognition.”
Constables H. Atkinson and T. Allen removed the body to the morgue.

An inspection of the line revealed Wyles gold pocket watch. The watch was spattered with blood, the glass broken. The watch was stopped at 7:35.[3]

Researched and written by Allen Tiller  © 2020

Photo: 1909 "F" Class Locomotive SLSA: [B 11082], https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+11082

[1] 'ETHELTON FATALITY.', Recorder, (13 March 1926), p. 1., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article95903691.

[2] 'CASUALTIES.', The Register, (13 March 1926), p. 13., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55021864.

[3] 'EFFECT OF THE CONFESSION.', The Register, (12 March 1926), p. 9., http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article55025267.