The Stonehaven rail crash was something that stunned everyone who works at the Press and Journal.
I vividly remember the moment we first heard about an incident at Carmont while working from home due to Covid-19 restrictions.
Our team rallied round to provide comprehensive coverage while putting family sensitives at the heart of our coverage.
Two weeks on from the crash, which united the north-east in grief, little was known about the detail of events on the day of the crash.
So our Impact investigations team was challenged to delve into it and find out.
Heroic response
That led to our 6.54 from Stonehaven series – a 14-part investigation into the tragedy and the heroic response from the region’s community.
The families of those who lost loved ones in the derailment saw how much care we were taking in our reporting and spoke to us exclusively for the series.
Since then, I have kept in regular contact with them, answering their questions and passing on information when needed.
This week I spoke to the family of Brett McCullough – the driver killed in the crash.
Tower of strength
I have the utmost admiration for both Brett’s wife Stephanie who has handled what is an indescribable pain and loss with great strength and dignity.
Brett’s sister Salina too has been a tower of strength, campaigning for better safety on the railways as her brother’s legacy.
Sadly, neither of them were able to talk publicly this week, as the emotional toll has been too heavy.
I was also moved by the words of the Dinnie and Stuchbury families who I also have great admiration for.
Who are the crash survivors?
They have been fair in acknowledging that this latest report is not about pointing the finger at any single failing.
Instead it was multiple things that went wrong – not only on the day of the crash but months and years in advance.
One group of people whose views have not been well represented since the crash are the six survivors, who all suffered injuries in the crash.
Some have had to undergo extensive medical treatment, physiotherapy and counselling.
Off-duty police officer
The name of only one of them is known publicly.
Nicola Whyte, 32, of Huntly, is an off-duty police officer who despite being injured in the crash, managed to walk a mile to raise the alarm with emergency services.
Another of the passengers was a ScotRail member of staff who was off duty and en route to start their shift elsewhere.
They are both unable to speak publicly until the conclusion of a police investigation into the crash.
Of the other four passengers, it is understood one was a foreign national who is no longer in Scotland.
Some of the others are suffering from PTSD and do not wish to recall painful memories of some of the things they saw that day.
Do right by the victims
All of those involved are now being represented by three extremely good legal firms – Digby Brown, Grant Smith Law and Balfour and Manson – who will fight for compensation and to ensure officials implement the latest recommendations to improve rail safety.
It is now up to those authorities to step up and do right by the victims – and the Press and Journal will be checking over the coming months and years if they have done what is expected.
