Major delays after train derails

Siew Peng Lee • Published 28 Jul 2011 09:30 35 Comments

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FIFE commuters' travel plans have gone off the rails after a train left the tracks in Edinburgh during rush hour yesterday (Wednesday).

An empty train, travelling from Cowdenbeath to Edinburgh, derailed at Princes Street Gardens around 6pm, resulting in major delays in and out of the capital.

The train had two crew on board, neither of whom was injured.

A Scotrail spokesperson said, "Services in and out of Edinburgh Waverley continue to be disrupted.

"A temporary timetable is in place. Services are running on most routes albeit some with a reduced timetable or extended journey times.

"Buses are also replacing trains on some portions of routes. It is expected disruption will continue throughout today (Thursday)."

The spokesperson added, "We are running as many trains as possible, with buses in support where appropriate.

"We would urge all our customers who travel in or out of Edinburgh Waverley or Haymarket to check the live updates at scotrail.co.uk before setting out."

Fife trains have been reduced to half-hourly and hourly services, starting and terminating at Haymarket.

Trains from Edinburgh to Aberdeen will depart every 30 minutes past the hour, calling at Inverkeithing.

The Edinburgh-Cowdenbeath service will now leave Haymarket at 53 minutes past the hour, calling at all stations to Cowdenbeath via Dunfermline.

Similarly, the Edinburgh-Glenrothes service will depart Haymarket at 42 minutes past the hour, calling at all stations via Kirkcaldy.

There will also be replacement transport running between Inverkeithing and Edinburgh.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has been on-site conducting its official investigation since the early hours of today, and Network Rail engineers will begin removing the train after the checks are complete.

David Simpson, Network Rail route managing director for Scotland, said, "The RAIB is currently on-site conducting its investigation into last night's derailment.

"Once the RAIB hands the site back, our engineers will be able to assess any damage to the infrastructure and prepare for the removal of the vehicle.

"We are working with train operators to run as many services as possible today and will restore more services as soon as we can."

An Office of Rail Regulation spokesperson said, "The Office of Rail Regulation is investigating the train derailment at Edinburgh Waverley on 27th July.

"We are working closely with Network Rail and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to quickly establish the cause of the derailment to ensure a similar incident does not happen again."

This article appeared in Dunfermline Press 28 Jul 11

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

Thebigyin
Unregistered User
Jul 28, 11:51
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And they're not moving the train till tonight!!!?? What a bunch of incompetents the people who run our railways are! In any other country they'd have dragged that train back on the line last night and got train services running as normal in the morning.

Recommend? Yes 9 No 14
BigAl
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Jul 28, 12:00
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I think its due to the fact that the Rail Accident Investigation Bureau (RAIB) have to investigate any incident that occurs, and the train can only be moved after they have completed their work!

Recommend? Yes 14 No 2
bored Gus
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Jul 28, 12:05
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Thebigyin clearly knows nothing of how the railway works. It's very hard to work out what went wrong when it's getting dark and the police want in first!

They'll be testing the points in the area, downloading the 'black box' from the cab and watching the footage from the forward and rear-facing CCTV cameras. Then they'll examine the bogies to assess the damage and see if it's fit to be rerailed and then, and only then, will specialist lifting equipment be brought in to lift it!

There's only really two causes for the derailment, either a points failure or an obstruction on the line. Having seen the derailment for myself last night, I guess the former.

Recommend? Yes 10 No 5
Thebigyin
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Jul 28, 12:19
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Who cares who's investigating what. It was a minor incident, no casualties, not even any damage. Why the hell does the rail accident board have to investigate?! The priority should be the commuters getting to work in the morning, I've had an awful morning getting into Edinburgh and so have many others. think I'll start driving in, too hell with the carbon footprint!

Recommend? Yes 4 No 10
Ragina Hood
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Jul 28, 12:20
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Is this the work of terrorists? Only asking cos the local police were warning everyone to be on their guard after Bin Laden. There is a pun in their, no not police but 'guard' and rail related.

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casey jones
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Jul 28, 12:35
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Bigyin, I can understand your frustration, but trains do not derail without reason. Imagine if the "sowhat no-one was hurt" attitude was taken, train removed fast as possible, and then the same thing happens this morning with a passenger train flying thrrough at 60mph. Would you have the same attitude then, or would it be,"why in God's name hadn't they checked what had happened the day before"

Recommend? Yes 15 No 3
mustardsauce
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Jul 28, 12:41
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The bigyin. I agree with Bored Gus and BigAl. They have to investigate. You wouldn't be saying that if a train full of passengers derailed hours after someone had decided that it was a minor incident and they wouldn't bother checking it out properly. Jeez

Recommend? Yes 7 No 3
Bailseye
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Jul 28, 12:59
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Fife Circle will run every half hour, terminating and starting at Haymarket.

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Thebigyin
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Jul 28, 13:12
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Bailseye, they're not running the big peaktime diesel cattle trains though, so expect anything that is running to be rather overcrowded to say the least!

Recommend? Yes 3 No 1
Thebigyin
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Jul 28, 13:33
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Wonder if a lot of the people on here supporting Network Rail and Scotrail's incompetent handling of this situation are actually train commuters, no? I thought not, because then you may have understood the nightmare things like this cause to people's routines, childcare etc

Recommend? Yes 5 No 7
mustardsauce
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Jul 28, 13:50
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The bigyin. Yes I commute. Yes it's a nuisance. But I'd rather they checked it out properly.

Recommend? Yes 8 No 2
chieftain
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Jul 28, 14:26
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i hope everyone involved in the investigation have their hard hats ,high viz vests ,and safety glasses on board as i,m sure they will want to look good for the television....oh and by the way does anyone know why the traffic cam on the road bridge is down ...or has the bridge disappeared......

Recommend? Yes 3 No 3
tellsitlikeitis
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Jul 28, 15:01
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Scotfail are a joke. Their 'hourly' service from Dunfermline didn't even exist today, again, they prefer to look after their Gla-EDI route more.

Recommend? Yes 4 No 5
JessTD
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Jul 28, 15:08
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They weren't looking after the Gla-Edin route last night! They pulled all the trains and told passengers to pay out their own pockets for buses instead. Fine if you are going to Edinburgh or Glasgow, but not much use for those going inbetween who will need to change 1 or 2 times. They need to be able to offer a contingency service during timetabled hours (using trains to intermediate stations or even coaches all the way) or face enormous fines, rather than leaving commuters stranded.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 1
BigAl
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Jul 28, 15:26
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Get a grip Thebigyin, yes I am a commuter, but I am one with common sense!

As has already been pointed out, would you be happy if they moved the damaged train out of the way and ran a normal service without checking the reason for last nights derailment? It would be hard to do that in the dark, and if they brought in a crane etc this morning to move the train - there would have been NO services to get you to work!!

At least they are trying to run someting and will move the train tonight!!

Recommend? Yes 9 No 2
Ben Dover
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Jul 28, 15:33
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Bigyin, I suggest you move to Edinburgh, as you clearly aren't able to cope with just one day's inconvenience, then you surely won't manage when there are the wrong type of leaves on the line, or heaven forbid, it snows!

Recommend? Yes 7 No 3
Thebigyin
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Jul 28, 16:41
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BigAl, they had 3.5 hours last night to get a crane in before it got dark. They should have one on standby for incidents like this. And Bendover, I've suffered Scotrail's 'services' for years, they always seem to fall apart and have no contingency when anything out of the ordinary happens

Recommend? Yes 2 No 8
casey jones
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Jul 28, 17:10
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Bigyin, just because I'd rather be safe than in a train crash doesn't mean that I don't commute. Anyway, judging by the number of posts that you've submitted throughout the day you've clearly caught up on your late start.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 2
Thebigyin
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Jul 28, 17:57
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Anyway, the trains pass through princess st gardens area at no more than 20mph, hardly a high danger zone! There better not be any problems tomorrow! Oh, and I'd urge everyone to get their compensation forms into scotrail, hit em where it hurts, in the pocket, then maybe they'll do something about their shoddy service!

Recommend? Yes 3 No 6
mustardsauce
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Jul 28, 18:01
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bigyin It's true they don't go very fast through the gardens, but even so. A busy train, lots of people standing by then ready to get off, a fairly heavy jolt as the train went off the rails, that could mean a lot of minor injuries at best.

Recommend? Yes 4 No 3
Ironside
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Jul 28, 19:25
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Take it your ablebodied then bigyin. Try doing your 20mph fall in a wheelchair big man. Self, self, self, as long as you get your compo then eh? Do us a big favour, get in your car. Please.

Recommend? Yes 6 No 2
BigAl
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Jul 28, 20:06
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Bigyin, yes there was 3.5 hours last night, but by the time the investigation team got to Edinburgh it would be dark so the investigation had to wait till today. Obviously they can move the train in the dark as thats what is clearly happening tonight. A packed commuter train, derailing even at 20 mph could be messy! I wouldn't think things would be back to normal tomorrow either, as somebody else says, do us all a favour and get in your car!!

p.s. its Princes Street and not Princess Street.....

Recommend? Yes 8 No 2
BigAl
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Jul 28, 20:10
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Confirmation that things will not be back to normal tomorrow

Have a nice day bigyin :-)

http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/264167-travel-disruption-caused-by-derailed-train-to-continue-on-friday/

Recommend? Yes 1 No 4
Thebigyin
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Jul 28, 22:10
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A lot of Scotrail/network rail employees on here tonight. Get back to work and get that bloody train off the tracks, ya useless bunch

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bored Gus
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Jul 28, 22:37
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Bigyin - I don't have paid employment in the rail industry! I do 2 voluntary jobs on the railways, meaning that I have a rather detailed understanding of how the industry works.

From what I have seen so far, your only understanding of the railway is that the speed limit through Princes Street Gardens is 20mph - and it's wrong!

The limit on the Up and Down South lines is 50mph and the limit on the Up and Down North lines is 30mph. The speed on the crossovers is 20mph.

Don't pretend you know how the railway works or that you could do it any better - everything happens for a reason, and the railway is actually much more efficient than you realise/care to think/fits your twisted view of the world?

Cheers T. R. Ainpotter,

Steward [Name removed] Railtours, Travelling Ticket Inspector [Name of heritage railway removed] Railway Company.

Recommend? Yes 8 No 1
NotHappyJan
192 posts
Jul 29, 03:56
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Goan yersel Bigyin. Its very obvious you are up against a board full of Scotrail workers and general know it all's!

You are 100% correct. These idiots should be considering the customer in such a minor accident, its a joke that its taking so long.

As for BigAl telling you to get in your car, he should get aff the lav cos the drivel he espouses knows no bounds!

Recommend? Yes 1 No 6
A T M Skimmer
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Jul 29, 06:42
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It's the terrorists that Fife Police warned us to be on the lookout for. Every time I see a geezer with a backpack on, I sheet meself. Every time I smell fertiliser in B & Q, I think its a home made bomb. Why do the police never print happy stories? Im only a wee boy!

Recommend? Yes 0 No 0
Thebigyin
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Jul 29, 09:17
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All back to normal today, they got the message then!! :-)~

Recommend? Yes 1 No 4
BigAl
Unregistered User
Jul 29, 09:26
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I dont work for Scotrail / Network Rail. I just have a bit of common sense that tells you that you cannot run a train without checking the consequences first.

NothappyJan, I also dont believe I have spouted drivel, but as for yourself......"These idiots should be considering the customer in such a minor accident", that is exactly what they are doing. It may have been minor this time, but it could be much worse next time if they do not check things out properly.

Anyway, your lucky things are supposed to be back to normal this morning!

Recommend? Yes 3 No 0
casey jones
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Jul 29, 10:21
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BigAl, ignore nappyjan. She's allus got to shove her miserable, worthless twopenneth in, no matter how stupid she makes hersel sound.

Recommend? Yes 5 No 1
Julie C
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Jul 29, 11:13
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I, too, commute and had a bit of a nightmare journey yesterday. It's not the fact that the accident happened or that it's taken 2 days to sort out that bothers me - these things happen and as others have said it takes time to ensure it is completely safe - it's the 'fairy stories' you're told, especially on the website, about when the trains are running that annoys me. Also why do other routes get replacement bus services and Fife doesn't? £4.30 single on the bus and on the day before pay-day....

Recommend? Yes 3 No 0
bored Gus
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Jul 29, 18:15
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Oh look Bigyin - took the train today and everything was on time. They fixed it earlier than expected, everybody got to Edinburgh happy and everybody got there safe too!

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Al. Bino
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Jul 30, 00:37
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I think we may be looking at a conspiracy theory here, folks.

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JessTD
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Aug 1, 09:06
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JulieC: other routes don't get replacement services....Glasgow to Edinburgh did not. Scotrail simply abandon any duty to provide a service which may be a breach of their franchise agreement (see link below). This is really annoying, as it usually takes an hour or two to sort something out and trains can usually run to intermediate stations upstream of a problem, and be directed around the Winchburgh area to avoid a bottleneck. I doubt it's easy to rustle up a few dozen coaches but they need contingency planning, perhaps using intermediate stations and bus links and reaching agreement with bus companies to accept rail tickets as means of payment in the event of severe disruption.

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/research/briefings-10/SB10-90.pdf

Recommend? Yes 1 No 0
Syd Carrott
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Aug 7, 02:21
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I still want to know what the Major Delayed? Was it a long march or waxing has ridiculous looking mustache? C'mon the Press, the public demands answers.

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******
Aug 8, 00:36
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