Widow: Train crash driver did just what he was told to do Family: Victim will have followed instructions before fatal accident

The widow of the train driver killed in last week’s crash has paid a moving tribute to him as she revealed he could have done nothing to prevent the tragedy. Father-of-three Brett Mccullough, 45, died when the Aberdeen to Glasgow train he was driving hit a landslide and derailed near Stonehaven.

Train driver Brett Mccullough

His grieving wife Stephanie has described him as a “beautiful, kind husband” and said: “Nobody should go to work and not come home. I have three heartbroken children here who Brett adored.”

She spoke out on social media after the Rail Accident Investigation Board published its initial findings showing the train had been travelling at 73mph when it crashed – within the 75mph limit for the stretch of track. The 6.38am service had been stopped at Carmont less than 20 minutes into its journey after a driver travelling north reported seeing a landslip on the southbound line.

The train was held for two hours before it changed tracks and set off back towards Aberdeen in sunny weather. It had covered only 1.4 miles when it hit a recently-fallen landslide and derailed. Conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, also lost their lives. Six passengers were injured.

Mrs Mccullough added that her husband had been cleared to drive back as normal, and had applied the emergency brake before the collision.

She said: “He did everything he was told to do. I can assure you Brett loved his job and did everything by the book. Unfortunately coming round that corner there was nothing he could have done.”

Network Rail has inspected hundreds of sections of track since the crash after Scotland was again hit by heavy rain.