A “high risk” of falling trees was identified on a section of railway between Dundee and Perth just months before a train crash there, inspectors have said.
An investigation launched, after a ScotRail train collided with a tree near Glencarse in Perthshire, has revealed the hazard had been identified but nothing was done.
We reported in May how the Dundee to Perth service hit a tree, leaving the driver injured.
A reported release by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said that 28 passengers had been travelling on the train at the time of the incident.
It had been travelling at about 63mph when it struck the tree, causing damage to the driver’s cab as passengers reported a loud bang.
One of those present on the train told The Courier that they were about five minutes into their journey when they heard the noise, with the train coming to a stop about 10 seconds later.
During the crash the driver sustained injuries to his head and arms, the RAIB report said.
The area had been inspected in September 2020, with vegetation running alongside the railway identified as posing a “high risk”.
But it was not clear whether the tree that fell had been identified during the 2020 inspection, investigators said.
Tree fell while weather was dry
“The inspection identified that there were various lineside trees on that section which presented a high risk to the railway, such that the owners should be notified of the inspection findings and the area re-inspected within one year,” the report said.
Inspectors say Network Rail had attempted to establish if a contractor was responsible for the area, which is owned by Scottish ministers, but was not able to do so.
They continued: “The previous train on the route had passed Glencarse about an hour before the accident.
“The tree had fallen in the intervening period, when the weather was dry,
with light wind from the north-east. There had been light rain earlier in the day.”
It added that, before the incident, that the “base of the tree which fell was hidden from anyone on the railway side of the boundary fence by undergrowth.
“The portion of the tree that was visible above the fence would have appeared healthy, and it would have been very difficult for Network Rail staff to detect that it was at risk of falling.”
Transport Scotland, which manages the A90 Perth-Aberdeen dual carriageway, said the area the tree fell from was outwith the boundary it is responsible for.
The report said: “Following the accident, Transport Scotland has instructed the company which operates the trunk road network on its behalf to inspect the area and do what is necessary to make the land safe, including the removal of any further trees that may be an issue.”
‘Extensive work’ undertaken to remove risk
Network Rail says extensive work has been carried out to remove vegetation on this part of the line following the incident.
A spokesperson said: “We work closely with landowners along our railway to identify and remove dangerous trees and have a £25 million, five-year vegetation management programme aimed at reducing incidents such as this one.
“Following this accident, we carried out extensive works to remove third-party trees at this location and other points on the line.”