Driver and crew mate injured after jumping from runaway train

● Train runs out of control for four miles after hitting branch

the brakes to be irreversibly released”. It came to a halt after travelling uphill, but then started to roll backwards, when the train crew radioed an emergency and jumped off.

The train finally stopped four miles south, near Thornton North junction, after travelling back and forth along a section of track several times because of the gradients.

David Ethell, head of safety and operations at DB Cargo UK, said: “At 4:41am on 17 October two men, one driver and one operative, had to eject themselves from an MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) near Markinch. They suffered minor injuries requiring medical attention.

“An investigation is now under way in order to establish the full circumstances.”

A RAIB spokesperson said: “Prior to the collision, the train had been water jetting leaf debris from the rails.

“The driver saw the tree shortly before impact and applied the emergency brake.

“The train continued to slow following the collision, due to the uphill gradient.

“It came to a rest, but then started to roll backwards.

“Having made an emergency call on the train radio, the two train crew jumped from the train on to the trackside and suffered minor injuries.

“The train eventually came to a stop on a low point near to Thornton North Junction, after having oscillated up and down the adjacent track gradients several times.”

The RAIB said its investigation would include the design of the train’s braking system, the actions of the train crew and the proximity of other trains on the route.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The safety of passengers and our workforce is of vital importance.

“We are conducting our own internal review of the incident.”

The incident comes four years after a track worker was seriously injured when an runaway rail vehicle hit scaffolding during overnight work in the Queen Street tunnel in Glasgow.