Driver did not realise Flying Scotsman was about to crash – report

The Flying Scotsman crashed into another train, leaving two people in hospital, as the driver did not know it was so close, a railway inspector has said.

The 100-year-old steam locomotive crashed into a set of stationary Belmond’s Royal Scotsman passenger carriages last September while approaching platform three at Aviemore Station in the Highlands.

Both trains, which normally operate on the main railway, were instead on the Strathspey Railway as they were due to be moved to a different station not accessible on the main line.

The Flying Scotsman shunted the Royal Scotsman at 7mph at 6.05pm on Friday September 29, leading one passenger to briefly pass out after hitting heads with another passenger.

They were taken to hospital along with a Belmond staff member as a precaution but both were released the same night.

The crash meant several coaches were taken out of service.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report released on Thursday found there was “ambiguity” of job roles within the Flying Scotsman cab at the time of the crash, nobody had told the driver the trains were about to collide, and said obstacles, including a large sign near the station, may have impeded his line of vision.

However, the RAIB concluded the crash ultimately happened because the driver “was not aware” of how close the trains were to each other.

The report said: “The collision occurred because the driver was not aware of the proximity of the locomotive to the coaches and so did not control its speed accordingly.

“This was due to the driver’s view of the track ahead being limited and because, immediately before the collision, no one in the cab warned the driver that the locomotive was approaching the coaches.

“The driver’s expectation, based on previous experience, was that the coaches would be located further away from the approaching locomotive.

“The Strathspey Railway Company’s ineffective management of the visit of the locomotive to the railway was identified as an underlying factor.”

The RAIB made one recommendation to the Strathspey Railway Company, stating it should review its operating procedures during special events and special train planning to ensure it can manage any risks associated with such events.

It also identified two learning points. The report said: “The first is a reminder of the importance of train crew maintaining an effective lookout while driving on a line-of-sight basis and knowing who is responsible for maintaining that lookout.

“The second is the importance of complying with rules regarding the number of people in a locomotive cab and ensuring that roles during movements are clearly understood.”

The RAIB is an agency of the UK Government that independently investigates rail accidents across the country.

Its purpose is not to attribute blame to any person or party, but instead to find the cause of accidents in order to prevent similar incidents from happening in future.

Strathspey Railway Company said it accepts the findings of the report and is already making the necessary changes outlined by the RAIB.

A spokesperson said: “The Strathspey Railway has fully engaged with the investigation carried out by the RAIB and accepts the findings of the report.

“The learning points in the report have already been addressed and work to deliver the intent of the one recommendation in the report is in hand.”