Inquiry into fatal train derailment in Stonehaven set for next year

Donald Dinnie, Christopher Stuchbury and Brett McCullough died five years ago

An inquiry into a train derailment which killed three men in the north east of Scotland is to be held next year.

The Aberdeen to Glasgow train came off the rails at Carmont, in Aberdeenshire, on 12 August 2020 after it hit a landslide following heavy rain.

Driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, died in the crash. Network Rail was later fined £6.7m after admitting a series of failings which led to the deaths.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) preliminary hearing heard a start date in late January was being reserved. It could last about a month.

Network Rail admitted maintenance and inspection failures

Alex Prentice KC, for the Crown, told a remote hearing at Aberdeen Sheriff Court on Thursday morning that "good progress" had been made between the parties involved in the inquiry to agree evidence in advance.

Mr Prentice said he was now confident that the FAI would not go beyond four weeks in duration.

Sheriff Lesley Johnston noted the previous estimate of about eight weeks had been further reduced.

She expressed gratitude that discussions had halved the potential timescale.

The sheriff said dates for the inquiry would be reserved, starting the week of 26 January.

This would run through to 13 February, followed by further dates on 23-27 February.

Work will continue on a location for the inquiry, which the sheriff said was likely to be a mix of in-person and remote.

A further preliminary hearing has been set for 24 September.

There is a memorial plaque at Stonehaven's station

On the fifth anniversary of the tragedy earlier this month, the RMT union warned "urgent action" was still needed to improve rail safety after the derailment.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) annual report for 2024, published earlier this year, revealed eight of its 20 safety recommendations remained "open".

These included control room capability and drainage design.

Network Rail said "meaningful progress" had been made.

What caused the Stonehaven train derailment?

The train hit a landslide near Stonehaven after heavy rain in an area where a drainage system had been incorrectly installed.

The 06:38 service to Glasgow had been unable to complete its journey due to the conditions and was returning to Aberdeen when the accident happened.

A recording of the driver showed he queried with a signaller if any reduced speed was needed to return north.

He was told everything was fine for normal speed.

The train struck debris from a landslide on the track, derailed, and collided with a bridge parapet.

The fatal derailment happened after heavy rain

During a court case in 2023, Network Rail admitted a number of maintenance and inspection failures before the crash.

It also admitted failing to warn the driver that part of the track was unsafe, or tell him to reduce his speed.

At the High Court in Aberdeen, Lord Matthews said no penalty could compensate for the loss suffered by the families of those who died and the people injured.

Law firm Digby Brown later said that a total of nearly £1m in civil actions against Network Rail had been settled.