Rail safety concerns over carriages
A rail engineer has called for the type of train involved in the fatal Stonehaven derailment to be withdrawn from service because of its "crashworthiness".
Gareth Dennis said the "High Speed Trains", based on a 50-year-old design, offer less protection in a crash compared to more modern trains.
The type of Scotrail train involved in the fatal Stonehaven derailment should be withdrawn from service because of their lack of crashworthiness, a rail engineer has urged.
Gareth Dennis said the “High Speed Trains” (HSTS), which are based on a 50-year-old design, should no longer operatebecauseofthelackofprotectiontheyofferedinacrashcompared to more modern trains, including for drivers.
While other companies such as LNER have scrapped their fleets,scotrailoperatorabellio has acquired and refurbished the trains for use on inter-city services.
One of the trains derailed last August after it hit stones washed onto the tracks by heavy rain, killing the driver, Brett Mccullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and apassengerchristopherstuchbury, 62.
The six other people on the train – five passengers and a conductor travelling to join another train – were injured.
An interim report into the incident at Carmont, south west of Stonehaven, by the UK Departmentfortransport’srail accident investigation branch (RAIB), said its main areas of investigation included the “crashworthiness of rail vehicles in high energy accidents”.
Mrdennistoldthescotsman: “Thehsthasnomoderncrashworthiness features – none at all. I think it’s pretty appalling thatwe’restillusingthosetrains in front line service.”
He said of particular concern was the lack of protection for drivers, which he described as “unacceptable”.
The engineer said of the HST on his latest Rail Natter podcast: "I adore it but it's a museum piece.
"Itshouldn'tberunninginregular service any more.
"Drivers should not be operating these trains. It is as simple as that.
"The HST cab is essentially an upturned bath tub mounted facing outwards with a driver inside it.
"There is zero crash structure for the cab – absolutely zero crashworthiness whatsoever. Zero protection for the driver.
"All there is the base of the front of the HST with a fibreglass shell over the front. There is no crash structure at all. I'm amazed they have not been blacklisted as a result of Carmont."
Referring to crashworthiness being investigated by the RAIB, Mr Dennis said: "I hope the Raibdonotpulltheirpunches."
He also compared the incidenttothecrashofamoremodern Virgin Trains’ Pendolino at Grayrigg, near Kendal in Cumbria in 2007, in which only one person had died despite the train being heavier and travelling faster.
Mrdennistoldthescotsman he hoped Transport Scotland would now plan for an earlier replacement of the HSTS than the current 2030 target date. He said: “By raising the lack of crashworthiness in these vehicles, there’s a chance that might accelerate some of those discussions.myhopeisitwillbe in the next few years.”
He added: “Railways remain thesafestformofoverlandtransit by a very long way, but that doesn’t mean the rail industry shouldn’t be striving for better safety.”
Scotrail said it was unable to comment pending the RAIB investigation.
The drivers’ union Aslef and Transport Scotland declined to comment.