Generous donors will see a three-year project to erect a memorial near the scene of a near-forgotten Angus rail disaster completed “before the summer”.
On December 28 1906, the Edinburgh-bound North British Express careered into the back of a stationary Caledonian Railway train in blizzard conditions.
The impact was catastrophic, with 13 people killed instantly. The death toll would rise to 22 as people succumbed to their injuries, including Liberal MP Alexander William Black, who had been re-elected just months earlier.
The scale of the tragedy saw the town’s drill hall pressed into service as a temporary mortuary.
On top of the passenger fatalities, Arbroath FC star David ‘Dev’ Cargill perished, aged just 32, after running from his home in the town’s South Street to Elliot Junction after word spread about the disaster.
Working among the ice and snow, as well as next to a boiling hot train, Dev contracted a chill and died shortly afterwards.
A campaign to erect a memorial to those who perished began in 2017 but campaigners say offers of financial assistance mean the project “can now finally be completed.”
Arbroath West and Letham Independent councillor David Fairweather paid tribute to the campaign’s supporters and those who have offered assistance.
He said: “This has been a long project, but I think it is hugely important that a permanent memorial is put in place to remind people about the tragedy.
“Having been on a site visit with council officers, it is likely the memorial will be placed near the foot of the pedestrian bridge on seaward side.
“We have been offered a suitable base and the Geddes Group have very kindly donated a stone, but there are other costs associated with doing this, including purchasing a plaque and having it engraved and I’m delighted to say a small number of individuals have promised financial assistance to the project.
“This means we hope to have the memorial in place before the summer.
“It’s been more than a century since this tragedy occurred and a memorial is certainly overdue – it will be good to finally have it place.”
The group has already been in touch with Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie MSP, who has backed project.
A song about the tragedy featured on a charity album released by local group Slipway.
