Stations fall silent one week on from Stonehaven rail crash
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Passengers and staff at railway stations around the UK have held a one-minute silence to remember the victims of last week’s Stonehaven rail crash.
Driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, died when the 6.38am Aberdeen to Glasgow Queen Street train crashed into a landslide across the tracks on Wednesday August 12.
Six other people were injured and all have now been discharged from hospital.
Stations fell silent at 9.43am on Wednesday, exactly one week after the derailment was reported.
The families of Mr McCullough, Mr Dinnie and Mr Stuchbury attended a memorial service at Aberdeen station along with Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland’s Railway, representatives from the emergency services, Aslef and RMT trade unions, Transport Scotland and local elected representatives.
A wreath was laid to remember those who lost their lives.
Mr Hynes said: “Today is a very sombre day for Scotland’s Railway.
“We will mourn the passing of Brett, Donald, Christopher and the tragic events of last week for a long time to come.
“Our hearts remain broken but together with our railway family, the local community and people across the country, we will support their family, friends, and one another through this terrible time.”
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Transport Secretary Michael Matheson attended the silence at Edinburgh Waverley station while at Queen Street station in Glasgow dozens of staff and passengers took part.
Many English and Welsh stations joined the tribute, while the Scottish Parliament also marked the minute’s silence.
At London Waterloo, Network Rail staff stood underneath the station’s clock in a circle with their heads bowed.
Conservative MP Huw Merriman, chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee, was among those to pay their respects, alongside a handful of passengers, British Transport Police officers and station staff.
Ahead of the event, Ms Sturgeon tweeted: “I will join @ScotRail and others in Waverley Railway Station at 09.43 this morning, to remember those who lost their lives in the Stonehaven tragedy one week ago.
“We will remember Brett, Donald and Christopher and hold their loved ones in our thoughts.”
Investigators said the train derailed and slid approximately 90 metres before hitting and destroying a barrier on the edge of a bridge, leading the front power car and one carriage to fall down an embankment.
Fire crew members and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) officials laid three bouquets of flowers at Aberdeen station on Tuesday as a mark of respect to the victims.
Four firefighters were injured when they were struck by an apparently uncontrolled vehicle while responding to the incident.
