It is the first time Shirley McKernan has spoken publicly about the incident, which she was too shocked to talk about when it happened on July 11 last year. But now she wants to speak in the hope wheelchair restraints will be added to trains.

She plans to catch her first V/Line train to Melbourne since the incident, with daughter Matilda Maxfield, 10, on Saturday.

“We went to the football with friends last time … it was Essendon versus Melbourne and that’s who we are going to see this weekend,” she said.

“We were coming back and all of a sudden it was like the train was going too fast or hit something. My daughter’s wheelchair flipped on side and all her equipment, oxygen and feeding stuff went flying.

“I was right next to her. I was setting up her feed and giving her medication. I got pushed and hit the other window and her chair started sliding along the ground.

“I felt useless, I couldn’t do a thing, I screamed and people came to help.

“It was very lucky my daughter had a head rest on otherwise she wouldn't have been too good.”

Matilda suffers from an undiagnosed life-threatening illness and has travelled to the Royal Children's Hospital at least every two months since she was born.

The incident, which injured several people, happened near Wallan about 7pm and is still being investigated by the Australian Transport and Safety Bureau.

It was classified as a serious incident and a report, now overdue, was expected to be released in February.

A V/Line spokesman said action may be taken following the bureau's report.

“It is the first incident we can recall where someone has been displaced from a wheelchair, so we believe it's safe under normal operating standards," he said.

“At the moment we are looking into different types of restraints. The report is something we are keen to respond to, but in the meantime we are continuing our research.”