Driver of derailed train spotted rocks on track prior to impact

Published on Monday 7 June 2010 09:54

THE driver of a Highland-bound passenger train which crashed and derailed today spoke of seeing "two huge rocks" lying on the track.

• The 6.20pm Glasgow to Oban service derailed near Loch Awe

The incident happened just before 9pm last night near the Falls of Cruachan Power Station in Argyll.

Passengers on the 6.20pm service from Glasgow to Oban spoke of a "ball of flame" inside a carriage. The derailed train ended hanging on the ledge of a 50 foot embankment.

Members of emergency services successfully evacuated all 60 staff and passengers from the train.

Eight people were injured in the crash but none of the injuries was understood to be life-threatening.

Willie Dickson also said he held the hands of frightened passengers as he led them to safety after the derailment.

Mr Dickson said he saw "two huge rocks on the track" just moments before the train derailed.

The 60-year-old driver, who has worked on the railways for 30 years, 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.

"It was a real team effort after the train came to a halt. My colleagues were brilliant, as were some passengers who helped others on board."

A member of the train's catering staff, Drew Hinde, 38, from Glasgow, said he used his catering trolley to steady himself during the impact, describing the derailment as "surreal".

Conductor Angus MacColl, 54, from Oban, said he was in the back carriage when the train stopped.

"I shouted: Calm down, calm down. And it worked," he said.

"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."

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said that a landslide was the likely cause of the accident.

"Network Rail engineers are just going on site to make the train secure, he said.

"At this stage there is nothing to suggest any criminality.

"There are a few big boulders lying about on the railway line. Early indications are it's probably been a landslide but investigations are under way.

"There are a number of officers on scene from British Transport Police and Strathclyde Police."

BTP said the leading car of the two-car train had derailed and caught fire, and was hanging over the A85 road.

• The A85 was closed this morning while teams investigated the crash scene

The road remained closed today at the junction with the A819, but there was still access to Loch Awe village.

Paul Gibson, a passenger on the train, told the BBC: "It felt like it was a few minutes or so, but it must have been only about 20 seconds.

"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."

Most of those injured were described as "walking wounded" and police said two of those taken to hospital had minor spinal injuries.

One local resident told The Scotsman he understood the derailment had been caused by boulders falling on the track.

"I have heard it derailed because of boulders coming off the mountains on to the track because of all the rain we have recently had."