A train derailment near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire that killed three men in August 2020 could have been avoided if a drainage system had been built and managed correctly, Sheriff Lesley Johnston has concluded following a fatal accident inquiry (FAI).
Driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, died when their train struck debris washed onto the track after heavy rain near Carmont. The train derailed and hit a bridge parapet. Six other people on board were injured.
In her written determination, Sheriff Johnston said the drain had not been constructed and installed in line with its design. She identified possible precautions including building it according to the plans, preparing drawings showing how it was actually built, and Network Rail ensuring those drawings were obtained in accordance with its standards.
The sheriff found a defect in the system of work, citing Network Rail’s oversight of the drain’s construction and its failure to ensure the work followed the design drawings. She said the evidence showed that these precautions might realistically have prevented the accident.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) had also identified the drainage system as incorrectly installed in its 2022 report, which made 20 safety recommendations. Sheriff Johnston described those recommendations as comprehensive and wide-ranging, and said most had been implemented, with the remainder in progress. She did not make additional recommendations, concluding that the issues identified by the RAIB and the inquiry were being addressed.
The inquiry heard that the rail network is now better prepared for extreme weather than it was at the time of the derailment. The sheriff noted increased use of aerial surveys, including helicopter and drone inspections, and said Network Rail had undergone a significant cultural shift in how it regards rainfall as a hazard to railway operations. She also highlighted a greater focus on record-keeping during construction projects.
Network Rail was fined £6.7 million in 2023 after admitting maintenance and inspection failures linked to the crash, as well as failing to warn the driver that part of the track was unsafe or to instruct him to reduce speed.
Network Rail Scotland managing director Liam Sumpter said the company’s thoughts remained with the victims’ families and others affected. He said Network Rail had made significant changes to how it manages severe-weather risks and was working to improve the resilience of Scotland’s railway.
The sheriff closed her determination by expressing condolences to the families and friends of the three men who died.
Sources: BBC News UK.