Derailed train had reached almost 73mph before crash
●Report finds gravel and rock washed onto the railway
The Scotrail train that derailed near Stonehaven in which three people died was travelling at almost 73mph just before it crashed, investigators have revealed. The speed is 2mph below the limit for the type of train involved on that section of the line.
The investigators also reported that gravel and rock from a field drain trench had been washed onto the railway at the landslip site.
The crash happened on 12 August as the Glasgowbound train was travelling back towards Stonehaven after being stopped following reports of another landslip nearby.
Driver Brett Mccullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, were killed in the derailment, which followed torrential rain.
An update from the UK Department for Transport’s Rail Accident Investigation
Branch (RAIB) said the train was at a standstill at Carmont, four miles south of Stonehaven, for more than two hours after being halted by a signaller at 6:59am.
The report said the train was given permission to start moving north at 9:25am, when it was routed over a crossover to the northbound, or “down”, line.
It said the train passed over the crossover at 5mph a minute later.
The report said: “Its speed increased, reaching 72.8mph after it had travelled for approximately 1.4 miles, which is within the maximum permitted speed for HSTS [high-speed trains – the type involved] of 75mph on this stretch of line.
“At around 09:38, the train struck a landslip covering the down line and derailed.
“As the track curved to the right, the train continued in a roughly straight line for around 77 yards until it struck a section of bridge parapet, which was destroyed.
“The leading power car continued most of the way over the bridge and fell from the railway down a wooded embankment, as did the third passenger carriage.
“The first passenger carriage came to rest on its roof, having rotated to be almost at right angles to the track.
“The second passenger carriage also overturned onto its roof and came to rest on the first carriage. The fourth passenger carriage remained upright and attached to the rear power car.
“It also came to rest on the first carriage. All wheelsets of the rear power car derailed, but it remained upright.”
Investigators highlighted the possible part played by a drain.
They said that, from 5am to 9am, about 52mm of rain fell in the area – almost 75 per cent of the total average August rainfall in Aberdeenshire.
The report said: “A drain runs northwards along the lower edge of the field until it reaches an access chamber about 50m south of the landslip area, from where it runs diagonally down the steep slope, passing through two more access chambers, until it reaches an outfall structure at a track level ditch which takes water northwards towards Carron Water.
“The drain running diagonally consists of a 450mm (18in) diameter plastic pipe laid at the bottom of a trench. after the drain was installed, the trench was filled with gravel.
“Water flowing from land above the railway washed some of this gravel onto the railway, together with some larger pieces of rock which had formed part of soil eroded from the sides of the trench,” the report said.
The RAIB said its investigations were likely to include “operating procedures applied”, management of earthworks and drainage in this area, including recent inspections and risk assessments.
“Its speed increased, reaching 72.8mph after it had travelled for approximately 1.4 miles.”
RAIL ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BRANCH