Lucky driver escapes violent storm smash

A ScotRail driver escaped injury when his Inter7City train struck a fallen tree across the track at Broughty Ferry, south of Dundee.  

The front end of power car 43129, which was leading the 1039 Aberdeen-Stirling service on the afternoon of December 27, was significantly damaged, with branches inside its smashed cab. It is understood that the driver had enough time to take evasive action by hiding behind his seat. The power car is likely to be a write-off. 

The 80mph winds of Storm Gerrit wreaked havoc across Scotland’s rail network over Christmas, and at one stage there were no services over the border on both the East and West Coast Main Lines. 

The West Highland Line’s Oban branch suffered disruption from a spectacular tree fall at Taynuilt, which was soon cleared by contractors.  

Across England and Wales, a combination of strong winds, heavy rain and snow, signalling faults, overrunning engineering works and staff shortages caused problems for travellers.  

However, train operators were also criticised for occasionally over-reacting by halting services over several routes. Network Rail responded that it could not reopen them until inspections had been carried out.  

Meanwhile, the Glasgow & South Western route from Carlisle was severed at Thornhill when large volumes of water overwhelmed a culvert, leaving track suspended over the gap. More than 100 tonnes of debris fell across the track between Dumfries and Sanquahar.

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