- A Dubbo mother has remembered her “caring, beautiful” son who was killed in Australia’s worst railway tragedy 40 years ago on Wednesday.
- Born and raised in Dubbo, Chris Parsons was aged just 22 when he and 82 others lost their lives in the Granville train crash in 1977.
- His mother Gwen Parsons has paid tribute on the anniversary of the disaster.
Sometimes it seems “an eternity” to Dubbo mother Gwen Parsons since she last saw her son Chris, taken from her in Australia’s worst train disaster.
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But memories of the “caring, beautiful” young man who loved to entertain have been held close to her heart in the past four decades.
On the eve of the 40th anniversary of the Granville train crash the devoted mother paid tribute to her son, whose promising life ended at the age of 22.
Chris was one of 83 people who died when a commuter train derailed and struck the Bold Street bridge in Sydney’s west, shortly after 8am on January 18, 1977.
Mrs Parsons said in a way it seemed like only yesterday.
“And then at other times it seems an eternity since we’ve seen him,” she said from her Dubbo home.
The first child of Gwen and husband Ron, Chris started working at the Rural Bank of NSW at Dubbo after attending South Dubbo primary and high schools.
His career had taken him to Sydney and not long before the train crash he had been promoted from the Granville branch to a position in the city, Mrs Parsons said.
His love of performing also began in Dubbo, and he continued to pursue the interest in Sydney, singing and playing the guitar in a band.
On that January morning he was starting his commute into the city.
“Actually it wasn’t his train,” Mrs Parsons said.
He and wife Jackie had been running a bit late and when they arrived at Seven Hills station their train had just gone.
So Chris took the next train to the city.
“And that was just something that must have had to happen,” his mother said.
Mrs Parsons recalled hearing about the crash and seeing it on television during the day, not realising her son was there.
“Because I knew what time they usually got their train,” she said.
Then about 6.30pm Mr and Mrs Parsons received the terrible news in a phone call.
On the eve of the 40th anniversary the loving mother remembered her son, his portrait close by.
Her Christopher, born on her birthday, had been a caring son and brother.
“[A] beautiful person, talented in singing, playing the guitar,” Mrs Parsons said.
Commemorations will be held at the memorial wall at Granville on Wednesday, with a bell to ring 83 times and the names of those killed to be read out.
“A special fellow, Dubbo’s boy,” Mrs Parsons said.
Faye Wheeler
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
I have been a journalist for more than a decade and in that time I have been keeping Daily Liberal readers up to date about issues affecting them and what's happening in their community. Throughout my career I have covered a range of rounds and most recently I have been focusing on the business round.
