He had often ferried his children from Ballarat to visit his grandmother in Ararat.

One journey, a decade ago, derailed the Glasson family’s life.

This week marked 10 years since the Trawalla crossing crash – the moment Glasson’s V/Locity train and a truck collided at a level crossing near Trawalla.

Ian’s mother Gwenda, aged 68, was one of two passengers to die in the crash. Ian, then 49, sustained life-threatening injuries and spent months recovering in Melbourne’s Epworth Hospital after a week in an induced coma at The Alfred.

They had been about half an hour into the journey home, on the 3.30pm from Ararat, when the collision occurred.

Ten years on and the event is still keenly felt by the Trawalla and Ballarat communities and Glasson family.

On April 28, 2006, Ian had bought cakes and salad rolls with his mother, Gwenda, before settling in for three hours’ lunch break at his Nanna’s house. He had also taken his grandmother’s dog for a walk.

Gwenda did not often get a chance to visit her mother and would often try to catch a ride with Ian when she could. Months into his recovery, Ian told The Courier, his grandmother had taken news of the crash really hard. But there had been one consolation.

‘‘She got to have lunch with her daughter on the day that she died. That’s a nice thing for me because Mum might not have seen Nanna for six months,” Ian said.

Mr Glasson was close to death after the crash. He sustained serious injuries to his head, chest, back, legs and arms, having been pinned in the cabin of the wreck. 

The crash also claimed the life of a 42-year-old Altona North man and injured 41 others. Injured passengers were taken by ambulance and bus to Ballarat Health Services’ Base Hospital.

Passengers told of hearing heavy braking before the collision. Many were thrown clear of their seats. Both carriages managed to stay upright, which emergency services claimed prevented more injuries.