A false economy

YOU report the rail line at the scene of the Stonehaven crash will re-open shortly, more than two months after investigations were completed (“Railway line re-opens after Stonehaven crash”, The Herald, November 4).

To bring in road-vehicle-based cranes and recovery equipment, to remove the damaged carriages and relay the track, and for 900 metres of temporary road and several bridges to be built, has thus greatly extended the timescale.

My understanding is that from the inception of railways, there were rail-based cranes and equipment which could be taken to the site quickly by train to deal with such events as this. A quick glance through a textbook of major rail disasters such as Gretna gives no mention or pictures of road cranes. The Victorians would have had this line reopened in a week or so. I believe the rail cranes were done away with around the time of rail privatisation to save money. Surely this was a false economy? Scott Macintosh, Killearn.