An elderly Angus man is recovering from his injuries after he fell between a train and the platform at Dundee.
Bill Nicoll, 79, from Liff, was attempting to board the London-bound LNER train on December 8 when he apparently missed the step and slid down through the gap, ending up on the trackside.
Dazed and in shock, the retired deputy head teacher says he cannot remember how it happened and does not even have a clue who helped him back on to the platform.
He says his only injuries were a badly scraped shin, which then became infected, and a bruised left buttock; however, he was badly shocked by the incident.
‘Painful journey’
After being taken by a guard to a disabled toilet to check his injuries, he boarded the train and completed his journey.
“I just thought ‘I’ve booked a seat and paid for my ticket so I’m getting on this train,'” Mr Nicoll said.
“Six-and-a half hours on the train with a bruised buttock made for a painful journey,” he added.
Mr Nicoll, who travels to London every year before Christmas, says he must have been in a state of shock as it really only sank in how dangerous it was when he phoned his son and a friend when he was in his hotel.
Despite his age, the pensioner is fit and active and says he is mystified as to how his traumatic ordeal happened.
Shin infected
“I don’t have a clue how it happened. I was at the front of a wee queue to get on the 9.08 LNER train to King’s Cross,” he said.
“I think I put my case on first and then tried to step on, but I must have missed the step.
“It’s quite a big gap and the step is quite high, but I’ve no idea what happened, it’s like a blank.
“The first thing I remember is standing on the trackside between the platform and the train, looking at the wheels.
“I don’t even know who pulled me up off the trackside, I’ve no idea how they got me out.
“A guard came up and asked me if I wanted to go and check out my leg so I went with him and he took my name and address.
“My shin was cut right down it and it ended up getting infected. It’s only now it’s clearing up.
“I saw three different doctors and had two lots of antibiotics, the first didn’t do anything.”
ScotRail investigation
The former deputy head at Carlogie Primary School in Carnoustie says, a month on from the incident, he has still heard nothing from either LNER or ScotRail.
“I’m still waiting to hear from either of them, so I’m going to write to them and tell them what happened, because it’s a danger,” he added.
“I think the gap is dangerous and I got off fairly lightly.”
A spokesperson for ScotRail said: “ScotRail is currently investigating the matter and takes any reports of incidents or complaints seriously.”
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