Almost three-quarters of Aberdeenshire’s monthly rain fell in the four hours leading up to the north-east train derailment that killed three people, crash investigators revealed today.
New details have emerged about the circumstances of the tragedy, which happened at Carmont, near Stonehaven, last week.
Conductor Donald Dinnie, train driver Brett McCullough and passenger Christopher Stuchbury died, and six others were injured, when the 6.38am Scotrail service from Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street derailed.
Now, the Rail Accident Investigation Bureau has published additional findings about what happened that fateful morning.
The train had departed on time from Aberdeen and then Stonehaven, but was stopped by a signaller at Carmont at 6.59am because a landslip was obstructing the line between Laurencekirk and Carmont.
It was stopped there for more than two hours before being given permission to return north to Stonehaven at 9.25am.
The report said the train reached speeds of 72.8mph when it struck a landslip covering the line at about 9.38am and derailed.
The RAIB said this was “within the maximum permitted of 75 mph (120 km/h) on this stretch of line”.
According to weather records, between 5am and 9am around 52mm of rain fell in the Carmont area. This is almost 75% of the total monthly rainfall (70mm) for Aberdeenshire in an average August.
The RAIB are continuing their investigation.
