Train derailment (1Y27 18:20 GLQ - OBN)

[yorkie]

so do i 499 is the best one in the fleet

Ah, I've worked out who you are. You are a well-known enthusiast from the Glasgow area who likes HSTs and 156s (499 being your favourite as you say) and 'tones'. Are you banned from this forum? I seem to recall you are...

 

[A60K]

Given where this has happened you might suspect the most likely cause would be a rock fall - causing a derailment, and probably puncturing a fuel tank leading to a fire. Anderson's Piano is still in use and maintained I believe, although it's possible for something to slip past it.

 

[ainsworth74]

I wish at a time like this the media would remind us that rail is still the safest way to travel (on comparable journeys) rather than whip up hysteria though

Indeed so do I, its been more than three years since the last passenger fatality on the railways (touchwood), but I doubt that it's even going to be mentioned by the media that it is the safest way to travel.

Glad to hear everyone made it off safely without major injuries. And I will await a more detailed report into the causes with interest.

 

[Bittern]

Can I just ask what the last major one was?

 

[DaveNewcastle]

As far as I'm aware, is it the A82 that runs alongside the line?

Yes!
The A85 follows exactly the same route as the line from Tyndrum to just before Oban.

For most of the distance, they really are adjacent, and certainly are either side of Falls of C.

 

[ainsworth74]

Can I just ask what the last major one was?

Grayrigg was the last accident that led to a passenger fatality and that was back in February 2007.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grayrigg_derailment

 

[466.networkers]

Can I just ask what the last major one was?

Greyrigg, Pendo 033 involved. One fatality if I remember correct.
Hope all passengers are detrained and without injury.

 

[tbtc]

Grayrigg was the last accident that led to a passenger fatality and that was back in February 2007

A very important thing to bear in mind at a time like this; sadly I know that the media reaction to this will be along the lines of "ANOTHER train crash".

Still, we don't know the full facts about this latest event, so I'll not comment further until they are established, just hope everyone is okay

 

[Bittern]

Statement from ScotRail's website. No new info.

At about 2100 hrs on Sun 6 June the front carriage of the two-carriage 1820 Glasgow Queen Street - Oban train derailed near Falls of Cruachan station. There are no reports of serious injuries. About 60 passengers were on board and all were safely disembarked from the train. An investigation is already under way into the cause of the incident.

 

[jimrbrobinson]

As someone looking to enter a career in the rail industry, and with Scotrail in particular, I'm very glad to hear that there are no serious injuries. With regard to the location, I wouldn't envy the drivers of the fire service appliances attending from Glasgow - that drive up the A82 alongside Loch Lomond would not be fun for them - especially when they know they are responding to a 'major incident'. As former Ambulance staff, I know how misleading early reports can be either way, so you always prepare for the very worst case possible and respond accordingly. I also hope the DMU is repairable - as a passenger I've ridden quite a few 156 and 158 class, and always liked them.

 

[bloodmeal]

I was just there, the road's closed and they wouldnt even let us through on foot. Will try again in the morning I suppose.

 

[Any Permitted]

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/06/06/article-1284513-09EB418B000005DC-249_468x379.jpg

Daily Mail article has a butchered Google Map with a Class 170 on. What quality journalism.

 

[Bittern]

At least they chose a nice picture.

 

[Any Permitted]

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-ce...rom-glasgow-to-oban-balanced-over-embankment/

STV got it right with a 156, the infamous 449 at that.

It turns out 9 people were hospitalised as "walking wounded". The BBC isn't using it's "Breaking News" strapline which means there probably won't be anything else worth saying until light-fall. It'll be interesting to see the photos when they come through.

 

[Aictos]

Just heard on Classic FM about this incident, hope everyone's okay however late my message of support is.
As to the 156, I'm positive that pending attention from fitters, if it does have to go off to be repaired then it will come back better then ever.

Still good to see STV got it right unlike other news outlets!

 

[ChampsRacing]

Glad everyone is ok, as everyone has said rail is still the safest way to travel, most modern trains for example the 390 are built to withstand crashes etc whereas a car if u crash it could be game over.

 

[jamesontheroad]

More photographs apparently taken by a passenger on Sky:

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Oban-Train-Derails-Near-Falls-Of-Cruachan-Scotland/Article/201006115644604?lpos=UK_News_Carousel_Region_1&lid=ARTICLE_15644604_Oban_Train_Derails_Near_Falls_Of_Cruachan%2C_Scotland

 

[transportphoto]

BBC Breakfast News has just reported that 8 people have been taken to Hospital - however No Major Injuries.

Don't know how accurate this is!

 

[Crossforth]

As long as everyone is OK

If the media are counting "major crashes" as what we call minor incidents, there maybe several they can pick up on such as when the EMT 222 dropped whatever out the dottom a few months ago and when 66048s breaks froze over.

 

[Aictos]

It was initially reported by the traincrew involved that the train had hit boulders before derailing however the stone signal at Pass of Brander was off.

P Way report the leading unit is suspended by trees and held by the coupling of the trailing vehicle of which it's front bogey is derailed and held by a boulder.

DBS staff from Mossend on site and have secured unit.

All Oban services currently starting at terminating at Crianlarich, as main road is blocked the road transport is diverted via Ballachulish so unable to call at stations between Oban and Crianlarich.

 

[43167]

Pictures on Sky news site. It cant have been a major fire as it there is no scorch marks on the carriage sides. My guess the fuel tank or fuel line was ruptured and the diesel went over the hot engine.

For the 8 injuried, there was probably 3 times that number injuried on the roads yesterday that we wont here about.

Just seen it on BBC Breakfast.

 

[37401]

Ah, I've worked out who you are. You are a well-known enthusiast from the Glasgow area who likes HSTs and 156s (499 being your favourite as you say) and 'tones'. Are you banned from this forum? I seem to recall you are...

ahh at last eh , I seem to remember reporting that ages ago

 

[38Cto15E]

In the first photo on the Sky news link I am sure that there is a passenger in the vestibule hanging on, possibly to the toilet door handle.
I am glad to see that it is not a major injury incident.

 

[Crossforth]

Yeah, I thought that as well

 

[37401]

Just had a look at that Gus does look like it yeah,

In typical rail enthusuast spirit im going to point something out

Very odd that the last carriage should be derailed by a rock that the engine and earlier carriages passed over without problem.

I think it must have been something more than a rock.

Yerp its the usual confusing a unit with loco+carrages (sorry had too when I saw it)

 

[Gavelex]

This has gotta be the worse crash since Grayrigg... :roll:

 

[37401]

This has gotta be the worse crash since Grayrigg... :roll:

Depends on how you rank a "bad" crash, one person died in Grayrigg noone has died in this incident (thankfully)

 

[Dreadnought]

Depends on how you rank a "bad" crash, one person died in Grayrigg noone has died in this incident (thankfully)

It certainly does, there have been a number of freight train derailments since Grayrigg that if they were passenger trains had the potential to be serious incidents. Besides the already mentioned 66048 derailment at Carrbridge the other 2 that come to mind are the ones at Ely, where the stone train derailed over the River Ouse and Stewarton, Scotland where the bridge collapsed and a tanker train caught fire.

 

[yorkie]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/glasgow_and_west/10251545.stm

Eight injured as Glasgow to Oban train derails

One of the train carriages is lying at an angle down the embankment

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 following the derailment, which happened shortly before 2100 BST.

In a statement, police said eight people were taken to three different hospitals. None of their injuries were thought to be life-threatening.

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."

Passenger Paul Gibson told the BBC News Channel: "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."

Insp David McEwan from British Transport Police said that the front coach of the train was "sitting in a precarious position overhanging the roadway", while the rear carriage was still on the track.

He said that engineers were working to make the site safe.

"The coach could slip further down the embankment on to the roadway," he said.

"This is obviously a major concern for the engineers at this moment in time."

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 forces said.

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

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."

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.

 

[rail-britain]

With regard to the location, I wouldn't envy the drivers of the fire service appliances attending from Glasgow - that drive up the A82 alongside Loch Lomond would not be fun for them - especially when they know they are responding to a 'major incident'

I agree, this location couldn't have been worse to have such an accident in (it's bad enough when there is a road accident there)
The hillside will pretty much prevent direct access up the hillside
Therefore access will be back along the rail line

Thankfully the unit doesn't look too far off the rail line, crane access will be almost impossible (it would be possible, but would probably need the entire hillside to be stripped of trees and supports placed in the road, possibly even widened)
However, getting the leading the car off the bridge is going to be a challenge