Stonehaven train derailment could have been avoided if drain built correctly – sheriff

The sheriff ended by saying that she wanted to join all the participants in the inquiry in expressing her “sincere condolences” to the families and friends of the men who died for their “tragic and untimely loss”.

Liam Sumpter, Network Rail Scotland managing director, said: “The tragedy at Carmont was a terrible day for our railway and our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of Brett McCullough, Donald Dinnie, and Christopher Stuchbury, along with all those affected by the derailment.

“Since August 2020, we have been working hard to make our railway safer for our passengers and colleagues, to deliver on the RAIB recommendations and to fully support the FAI process to reach its conclusion.

“We have made significant changes to how we manage the risk of severe weather since the accident and to increase the resilience of Scotland’s railway.”

Laura Buchan, legal director with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), said the inquiry had provided a detailed public examination and that measures had addressed the identified safety issues.

The train drivers’ union Aslef said there had been a “staggering level of governance and corporate failure” and reiterated concerns about the crashworthiness of high-speed trains.

It called for these trains to be removed from the fleet, a move also backed by the RMT union.

West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie, who visited the crash site in 2020, said a sense of loss and grief had been “keenly felt” in the community.

Speaking about the victims’ families, he said: “Above all, I hope they can take some comfort from knowing that lessons have been learned and that their loved ones will not be forgotten.”