Glasgow Queen Street worker hurt by runaway train

A WORKER was seriously injured when a runaway rail vehicle hit scaffolding during work in a tunnel near Queen Street station in Glasgow, a report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch revealed today.

The vehicle that struck the rail worker. Picture: RAIB

A road-rail maintenance vehicle, which had no lights on, hit scaffolding being erected for engineering work.

It had run away while being manoeuvred onto tracks by remote control.

A preliminary report by the UK Department for Transport’s investigation agency stated: “A person working on this scaffolding was seriously injured. Other members of staff working on the track were able to move clear of the runaway vehicle because they either heard its approach or were warned by mobile telephone.”

Investigators found the vehicle’s brakes were inadequate for the 1:45 gradient of the line through the tunnel into the station, which is steep in rail terms. The road-to-rail transfer was also not carried out correctly.

The Raib report said such vehicles had brakes effective only up to 1:29 gradients.

The vehicle, which did not have anyone on board, rolled for one mile from Keppochhill, north of the station, stopping before the buffers in the station.

It happened about 3am on 21 April, when trains had been stopped for the work.

The vehicle which has both rubber and steel wheels for use on roads and railways, was due to have been used as a mobile elevating work platform during work on track in the tunnel.