Rozelle Junction tram crash injures 25 people

On the  18 May 1949, two double electric trams collided at Rozelle Junction after the controls of a city-bound tram reportedly jammed. The crash involved four tram cars and injured 25 people. Several trams were thrown from the tracks and came to rest near a shop awning, blocking the intersection and drawing large crowds.
Early on 18 May 1949, Rozelle Junction was the scene of one of Sydney’s worst tram crashes for years. A tram travelling from Ryde toward the city along Victoria Road reportedly ran against a warning signal and struck another tram travelling along Darling Street from Balmain toward Leichhardt. Because each tram was pulling a second car, four tram cars were involved. The impact badly damaged three of the trams, splintering woodwork and bending steelwork. Several cars were thrown from the tracks and came to rest in a fan-like formation near the awning of a shoe store. The collision blocked the intersection, and passengers were thrown to the floor amid broken glass and debris. The driver of the Ryde tram, Jack Wilson of Ultimo depot, reportedly told police that he tried to stop when he saw the signals against him, but the power mechanism jammed. Ambulances attended the scene and many injured passengers were taken to Balmain Hospital.