Rail line shut near to landslip crash
Trains have been halted after damage to the bridge was spotted today one mile north of the site of last year’s fatal landslide at Carmont, south of Stonehaven.
The line is expected to stay shut for a “significant” period while repairs are made to the river bridge, Network Rail said.
Extra checks are also being made on similar bridges after an 80 ft(24m) long section of the parapet/side wall fell away.
In August, three people were killed when a Scotrail train hit debris washed onto tracks following heavy rain.
Friday’s damage is believed to have been spotted by a member of staff on ascot rail train shortly before 10 am
Network Rail Scotland said it was a structural fault and not caused by a landslip.
It described the damage as “extensive” and would take asignificantperiodtorepairdespite engineers working round the clock.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The line is currently closed while our engineers repair a damaged side wall on a bridge between Carmont and Stonehaven.
“Specialist structural engineers are currently assessing the fault and putting plans in place for its repair.
“Our engineers will be working around-the-clock to complete this work as quickly as possible.”
The engineers are likely to investigate whether recent extreme weather was a factor.
The line is also used by LNER trains between Aberdeen and London and Crosscountry trains between Aberdeen and the south west of England.
Gordon Martin, the regional organiser of the RMT union, said he was “absolutely not surprised” by the incident and called for urgent talks with railway chiefs over
infrastructure safety.
He added: “I have raised concerns with Network Rail about the number of incidents on the railway and infrastructure.
“Iamabsolutelynotsurprised this has happened and we will
be seeking a meeting with Network Rail once the facts have been established.
“This latest incident is little more than a stone’s throw from where three people lost their lives and the amount of issues
therehavebeenwithinfrastructure is becoming terrifying.
“The rail network needs a bit ofinvestmentbecauseitisareal worry just now.”