Official probe launched into Flying Scotsman accident in Highlands
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An official investigation has been launched into the Flying Scotsman crash in Aviemore which left two people in hospital.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it will be examining a number of key areas in the probe following the accident at around 6.05pm at Aviemore on September 29.
The world famous steam locomotive collided with a set of stationary passenger coaches on the Strathspey Steam Railway line next to the Aviemore mainline station.
The RAIB said the collision occurred at approximately 7 mph (11 km/h).
Inspectors said the accident resulted in injuries being caused to a 'number of passengers and staff' with one passenger and one member of staff taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness as a precautionary measure.
The RAIB said no rail vehicles derailed as a result of the incident although some damage was caused to the vehicles involved.
The investigation will seek to identify the sequence of events leading up to the accident.
It will also consider:
• the actions of those involved and anything that may have influenced them.
• The management of the railway staff involved in the accident, including their training and competence.
• The method of operation in use when the collision occurred and the policies and procedures in place for managing such operations.
• The extent and type of any injuries and damage caused, and how they occurred.
• any underlying management factors.
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A RAIB spokesperson said: "Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.
"We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website."
Police Scotland said previously the two people were taken to hospital as a 'precaution' and, as no criminality was established, it had referred the matter to the RAIB.
Flying Scotsman tours were cancelled for a week following the crash and resumed on Saturday October 7, after the locomotive – owned by the National Railway Museum in York – was passed as fit for main line operation following a mechanical inspection.
