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Eight hospitalised as Glasgow to Oban train derails

Eight people have been taken to hospital after a train derailed, leaving its two carriages "precariously balanced" over a 15-metre embankment.

Both carriages of the Glasgow to Oban train caught fire near the Falls of Cruachan power station by Loch Awe, Argyll and Bute, on Sunday night.

Police said no-one had been seriously hurt, although many of those injured were described as "walking wounded".

All the estimated 60 passengers on the train were removed safely.

Police said two of those hurt have minor spinal injuries.

In a statement, police said eight people were taken to three different hospitals. None of their injuries were thought to be life-threatening. Two of the wounded had minor spinal injuries. An ambulance service spokesman said soon after the derailment: "There's quite a lot of walking wounded. There's a couple of bumps to necks and backs and things like that." Those needing treatment were taken to hospitals in Glasgow, Oban and Lochgilphead. The remaining passengers were taken on to Oban, a joint statement by the Strathclyde and British Transport Police said.

Ambulance and MoD helicopters were also called to the scene because of the remoteness of the area.

One witness reported that the train had shuddered to a halt and caught fire in the incident, which which happened shortly before 2100 BST.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "The train involved was the 1820 hours Glasgow Queen Street to Oban service. This is a two-car train and the leading car has derailed and caught fire. All passengers have been safely taken off the train, but the leading car remains overhanging the road."

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service said there was a "major deployment of fire crews and appliances".

A spokesman for the train operator ScotRail said: "An investigation is already under way into the cause of the incident by appropriate agencies and industry partners."

The A85 is closed at the junction with the A819, but there is still access to Loch Awe village, police said. The A85 is also closed at the junction with the A828.

The accompanying story is a tad sensationalist for my tastes...

Because of this, the following alterations will apply until further notice:

    * Trains are not able to run between Crianlarich and Oban
    * Buses will run between Glasgow Queen Street and Oban, not calling at any other stations
    * Direct buses will also run between Crianlarich and Oban

Passengers wishing to travel to stations between Crianlarich and Oban should make alternative travel arrangements.

Passengers wishing to travel to stations between Crianlarich and Oban should make alternative travel arrangements.

Of course any bus service relies on the road below the railway (A55) being open which I fear might not be for some time.

Police and rail bosses have launched an investigation into the near miss on the popular tourist line.

Driver of derailed train saw 'huge rocks on track'

The driver of a train that derailed and burst briefly into flames in Argyll has told how he held passengers' hands and helped lead them to safety.

The Glasgow to Oban service left the tracks near the Falls of Cruachan power station by Loch Awe shortly before 2100 BST on Sunday.

All 60 passengers were rescued, with eight people suffering minor injuries.

Driver Willie Dickson said he hit the emergency brakes on seeing "two huge rocks on the track".

The 60-year-old from Grangemouth, who has been a train driver since 1992 and has worked on the railways for 30 years, also told how it "was a real team effort" to free passengers from the overturned train.

Both carriages caught fire and came to rest over a 15-metre embankment.

Passengers spoke of seeing "balls of flames".

Mr Dickson, who suffered bruising when the train derailed, said: "I stayed at the controls until the train came to rest. I then entered the front carriage and tried to calm passengers down before taking people by the hand and leading them off the train."

He added: "My colleagues were brilliant - as were some passengers who helped others on board. It was a real team effort."

Hospitality host, Drew Hinde, 38, from Glasgow, said he had used his catering trolley to steady himself following the impact.

Mr Hinde, who has worked for ScotRail for almost three years, said: "My initial thought was that it was surreal but we immediately helped all passengers leave the train."

Conductor Angus MacColl, 54, of Oban, said he was in the rear coach when the train came to a halt.

He explained: "I shouted 'calm down, calm down' and it worked. I got people out the back before going into the front carriage where passengers were also being taken off the train. Willie and Drew were brilliant - as were passengers who helped out."

Steve Montgomery, ScotRail's managing director, paid tribute to the train crew saying: "This incident could have been more serious but for their actions. They did a tremendous job in difficult circumstances are a credit to the company."

An investigation into the cause of the derailment is under way.

It is thought the boulders on the track may have been the result of a landslide in the area.

Union praises 'true heroes' of accident

The driver and guard of a train which derailed and caught fire in Scotland are "true heroes" for preventing a major disaster, transport union RMT has said.

Leader Bob Crow praised the ScotRail employees' "quick thinking" in securing the safety of all 60 passengers on Sunday.

Passengers said "balls of flame" engulfed the carriage and the first car was left suspended over the hillside. Only the mechanism that connected it with the second car prevented it from falling.

Passenger Paul Gibson said: "Bags and shelves seemed to sort of start flying across the carriage. And then all of a sudden, on either side of us, on the outside, big balls of flame managed to come across us."

The guard activated emergency procedures and evacuated passengers while the driver put out the fire in the carriage. Eight people sustained minor injuries.

RMT general secretary Mr Crow stressed that, had the service been a driver-only operation like those being rolled out on other ScotRail services, the driver would have been "in an impossible and potentially lethal situation.

"Attempting to extinguish a fire while safely evacuating a train just cannot be done and ScotRail and the Scottish government now need to recognise that and call a halt to their plans to roll out driver-only operation."

Mr Crow said the accident on the 6.20pm service from Glasgow to Oban confirmed the need to put an "immediate halt" to the introduction of driver-only operation on ScotRail's Airdrie-Bathgate route.

"The incident has once again confirmed the safety-critical role that the guard plays in an emergency situation and that it was only the experience and training of the guard, working with the driver, that avoided a major disaster," he said.

Mr Crow added: "It is a miracle that a major disaster was avoided and the incident shows once again that corners cannot be cut when it comes to rail safety."

Train driver Willie Dickson described seeing "two huge rocks" on the track before the accident.

It is likely that a landslide had thrown several boulders on to the train track, police said.

These buses go the long way round, do they? Or did you mean the A85? :P

Passengers wishing to travel to stations between Crianlarich and Oban should make alternative travel arrangements.

From National Rail:


Isn't that a bit cheeky - isn't there a requirement for the TOC (which company runs the trains in Scotland) to provide an alternative if they can't get you there on the scheduled train / within the hour?   If the road past Loch Awe is shut, I appreciate the problem, but it does seem a bit naughty to try not to provide for your customers to Lower Tyndrum, Dalmally, Taynuilt, Falls of Cruachan and Connell Ferry. 

I'll be charitable and forgive Lower Tyndrum.  Use Upper Tyndrum ...

Train services between Oban and Crianlarich are being disrupted due to a derailed train.
Short notice alterations, cancellations and delays can be expected.
Please note that no train services will operate between Oban and Crianlarich, a replacement bus service will operate from Oban to Glasgow Queen Street, from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban and also from Crianlarich to Oban all via Ballachullish. We are unable to operate alternative transport for stations between Oban and Crianlarich due to the road being closed. Passengers should be aware that journey times will be extended and to allow extra time for any onward connections. Passengers with boat connection at Oban, please note that connections are not guaranteed due to the extended journey times. For any customer enquiries contact ScotRail Customer Relations on 0845 601 5929

Mr. Crow's very quick off the mark to add some weight to his argument....

But the road is not closed along its whole length.  With the possible exception of Falls of Cruachan, all other stations could be served from one end or the other. 

Therefore ScotRail's replacement coaches seem reasonable and this leaves really only a very few stations uncovered.

I believe, are trained in evacuation procedures (its part of the induction process in FGW, I understand).

from the pictures i'm guessing it to be a class 156? anyone know anything further about the train involved

Two rather hair-raising pictures posted today on the Railway Eye (http://railwayeye.blogspot.com/2010/06/sundays-derailment-at-falls-of-cruachan.html) blog.

BBC Scotland understands that "big boulders" found on the railway line may have come from just several feet above the track and not have fallen from a great height.
A trip wire system, in place to detect landslides further up the embankment, was not triggered.
The warning screen, which runs for four miles over the affected stretch of track, is designed to alert train drivers to obstructions on the track.
It was last inspected on 4 April and is checked at regular 90 day intervals.
The track was inspected on 26 May and is checked every two weeks.

Crane removes derailed Glasgow to Oban train

Work has begun to remove a derailed train which was resting over a 15-metre embankment in Argyll.
A crane capable of lifting 1,000 tonnes has lifted one of two carriages on to a low loader truck on the A85.
The Glasgow to Oban train came off the line shortly before 2100 BST on Sunday after striking boulders brought down by a landslip.
The crash happened near the Falls of Cruachan power station by Loch Awe.
All 60 passengers on board were safely rescued with eight taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has begun a probe into the incident.
Network Rail, which operates the UK's tracks and signalling system, has been co-ordinating the operation to retrieve the derailed train.
A spokesman said it hoped the A85, which has been closed since the crash, and railway line would be re-opened on Monday.
Repairs will have to be carried out to the track which was badly damaged during the crash as well as further inspections to ensure there are no more landslips.

Rail union attacks landslide safety record

The leader of Britain's rail union yesterday challenged Network Rail's landslide safety record as a major operation began to remove two stranded carriages from a blocked line.
A rock fall derailed the Glasgow to Oban train near the Falls of Cruachan on Loch Awe on Sunday night. Eight of the 60 passengers were injured when the front carriage of a two-carriage train went over the edge of a 50ft embankment.
A 1,000-tonne crane yesterday successfully lifted the front carriage clear of the embankment.
Bob Crow, the general secretary of the RMT, claimed that the accident was the latest in a "catalogue of derailments" in Scotland. And he revealed that there had been a derailment at almost exactly the same location in April 1997.
Mr Crow has written to Network Rail bosses seeking urgent answers from the track operator on the investigations carried out into the series of derailments before Sunday's incident. He said: "RMT is deeply concerned that there is growing evidence that lessons of derailments prior to Sunday's narrowly-avoided tragedy at the Falls of Cruachan may not have been learned and that key recommendations may not have been actioned. Against the background of savage cuts to budgets at Network Rail, and the prospect of more to come from the new government, we are today seeking assurances that all recommendations have been actioned and that corners have not been cut."
In his letter to Paul Taylor, Network Rail's route maintenance director in Scotland, Mr Crow lists a total of five previous derailments caused by landslips, dating back to the previous derailment at the Falls of Cruachan on 5 April, 1997. He said: "I am extremely concerned that although the Railtrack report into the 1997 incident makes reference to the high level of false alarms with the stone signals and there is reference to designing a new system of alarms, no recommendation on this was made by the panel. It was also concluded that the embankment should be stabilised ... I also believe this was not actioned."
In response to Mr Crow's comments, a Network Rail spokesman said the company was working with the Rail Accident Investigation Bureau (RAIB) to investigate the derailment. He said: "At this stage it has not been shown if the maintenance regime has any bearing on this incident. The cause of this accident is for the RAIB to determine, not the RMT."
He added: "The operation to recover the vehicle proceeded as planned and engineers are now in the process of preparing the vehicle for removal from the site by road for its journey back to Glasgow. Engineers will then rerail the second carriage so it can be recovered from the site."
David Simpson, Network Rail route director Scotland, said: "This is a very complex operation, due to the location of the incident site and the unique design of the road, but the recovery of the rail vehicles continues to progress well. Our engineers are doing an excellent job in challenging conditions and every effort is being made to restore road and rail links as quickly as possible."

Investigation into derailment near Falls of Cruachan, Argyll, 6 June 2010

The RAIB is carrying out an investigation into the derailment at about 20:55 hrs of the 18:20 hrs train from Glasgow Queen Street to Oban on Sunday 6 June 2010.  The train comprised a two-car class 156 diesel multiple unit operated by First ScotRail and was carrying approximately 60 passengers and three crew.  On approaching the site of the derailment just west of Falls of Cruachan station, the train struck a boulder that had fallen onto the track causing the leading car to derail to the left down a steep slope.  The leading bogie of the second car was also derailed by the boulder.

Evacuation of the passengers was carried out by the crew. Eight passengers were taken to hospital with minor injuries and later released.  The line was closed until Monday 14 June 2010 to allow the train to be recovered and repairs to be carried out to the infrastructure.

The RAIB^s preliminary examination identified that the cause of the derailment was as a result of the train striking the fallen boulder.  The boulder fell down a slope onto the railway from within Network Rail^s boundary.  There is a system installed at the accident location to warn drivers of approaching trains of fallen boulders but this is only operated by falling rocks or boulders from outside Network Rail^s boundary and therefore played no part.  There was no evidence that the condition of the train, signalling system or track contributed to the accident.

The RAIB^s investigation is independent of any investigations by the safety authority.

The RAIB will publish a report, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. This report will be available on the RAIB website.

Rock fall calls after Argyll train derailment

Rail accident investigators have said procedures for identifying and guarding against rock falls should be tightened after a train derailment in Argyll.

ScotRail's Glasgow to Oban service came off the tracks on 6 June last year after hitting a boulder near the Falls of Cruachan power station by Loch Awe.

Some 60 passengers were led to safety after both carriages came to rest over a 15m embankment.

In a report, investigators have issued six recommendations to improve safety.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report said that the derailment had been caused by the train hitting a boulder which had become dislodged from the slope above the track.

It said the boulder had become dislodged through "natural processes that included root jacking and soil erosion".

The report said, however, it was possible another causal factor may have been that "the examination and evaluation system did not identify the boulder hazard on the soil slope between the rock face and the railway boundary".

Clearing vegetation

This prompted inspectors to issue six recommendations - five of which applied to track operator, Network Rail, and one to train operator, ScotRail.

It was advised that Network Rail "should review its existing arrangements for the clearance of vegetation (on track side slopes) to enable examinations and evaluations of earthworks to be carried out".

It was recommended that "examination results are reported for both the soil and rock materials" and "that any inconsistencies between condition ratings from successive examinations should be identified and resolved".

Network Rail was also advised to "review the process for planning remediation works" and review its methodology for calculating "rock slope hazard".

The sixth recommendation was that ScotRail "should assess the risk of lighting diffusers ... in the interiors of trains" so that in the event of another derailment they do not cause injuries to passengers.

New role for train driver who averted disaster

(http://www.railnews.co.uk/img/medium/260x195xnews01768.jpg.pagespeed.ic.GMF4krr2hW.jpg)

Railway veteran Willie Dickson has been appointed president of REPTA ^ the Railway Employees and Public Transport Association.

The ScotRail train driver, who lives in Grangemouth and has worked in the railway for more than three decades, has been a member of REPTA since 1980.

Willie was at the controls of a train in June 2010 when he unexpectedly came upon ^two huge rocks^ on the Glasgow-Oban line as the result of a landslip. He made an emergency brake application and stayed at the controls until the train stopped. Then he helped with the evacuation of the train, which had come to rest on a 15m embankment over the A85 road.

His actions were universally praised because they prevented a more serious incident following the landslip. They led to him being honoured as Frontline Employee of the Year at the 2010 Scottish Transport Awards.

Willie, who is based at Glasgow Queen Street station, went to his first national REPTA AGM in 1989 and has attended every one since then. He became vice-president of REPTA in 2012, and is now president.

The 64-year-old said: ^Being appointed president of REPTA is not only an honour for me, but for my family too. I hope to uphold the good name of REPTA and promote the benefits of becoming a member.^

Peter Davies, general secretary of REPTA, congratulated the grandfather-of-two. He said: "I am really pleased that Willie Dickson has been elected as the new national president. I am sure he will do all he can to extend a welcome to all active and retired members of ScotRail to join or re-join ^The Circle of Good Fellowship^ ".

Rail warning system ^ears^ can hear landslide

(http://www.scotsman.com/webimage/1.3460179.1403992482!/image/2872449144.jpg_gen/derivatives/articleImgDeriv_628px/2872449144.jpg)
A train derailed near the Falls of Cruachan power station after hitting a boulder. Picture: PA

Electronic ^ears^ have been installed along one of Scotland^s most landslide-prone train lines in a pioneering project that could protect rail tracks and roads across Scotland.

The fibre-optic cables are a modern-day replacement for a Victorian rockfall warning ^system in the steep-sided Pass of Brander on the Glasgow-Oban line.

The UK first is being tested on the route below Ben ^Cruachan, where in 2010 a ScotRail train nearly plunged down a 50ft embankment after hitting a fallen boulder and^ derailing.

A tripwire system built by engineer John Anderson in 1882, in which falling rocks trigger line-side signals, did not detect the boulder because it fell from lower down the slope.

The ^stone signals^ a vertical screen of ten horizontal steel wires ^ are known as ^Anderson^s Piano because of the humming sound of the wires in the wind.

In 2012, a ScotRail train hit debris from a nearby landslide ^ one of two incidents in Scotland the same day. Three weeks earlier, a freight locomotive crashed down a hillside near Corrour in the Highlands after hitting landslip debris.

Network Rail Scotland said its novel ^distributed acoustic sensing^ (Das) scheme could also be deployed to warn of trees falling on tracks, and landslides on roads such as at the landslide-stricken Rest and Be Thankful on the A83 in ^Argyll.

In 2012, dozens of trees were blown on to a 300-yard stretch of line at Markinch in Fife.

The Das scheme involves ^cables being buried just below the surface on either side of the single-track line for six miles between near Falls of Cruachan and Loch Awe ^stations.

The track firm said the system, which is monitored from a signalling centre, was sensitive enough to distinguish between obstacles falling on the line and other noises such as trains, deer and hailstones.

It said the new technology could offer a cheaper alternative to maintaining Anderson^s Piano and other anti-landslide measures such as netting slopes and removing rocks, which often require line ^closures.

Alan Ross, director of route asset management, said: ^Rockfalls and landslips are one of the railway^s longest-standing risks and we are ^always looking at ways we can use new technology to solve old problems. The new acoustic monitoring technology on trial offers us a potential solution to a problem which has affected the West Highland lines since they were built by the ^Victorians. If successful, this new ^system will help us provide an even safer and more reliable railway on a line vital to both the local communities it serves and to Scotland^s tourist trade.^

A ScotRail spokeswoman said: ^We are aware Network Rail has begun trials of a new acoustic system. We welcome this initiative as, if successful, it will aid in the delivery of a more reliable, consistent and safe railway.^

The Office of Rail Regulation has previously instructed ^Network Rail to improve its ^assessment of landslide risks to speed up its response to ^incidents.

A spokesman for the watchdog said ^The ^regulator ^supports Network Rail^s work to develop, and ^introduce, new technology for monitoring the condition of its infra^structure. That is why we approved ^95 million of funding for the implementation of remote condition testing for earthworks, signalling equipment, level crossings and other ^assets over the next five years.^

A spokeswoman for the ^Scottish Government^s ^Transport Scotland agency, which is responsible for the Scottish trunk road network, said: ^We are aware of the work at the Pass of Brander. We are interested in any technique that improves detection of falling rocks.^