The 2020 Stonehaven rail crash “will feel like yesterday” to the families of those affected, a union boss has said, as he called for the industry to “go further” to precent anything like it happening again.
RMT Scotland organiser Gordon Martin said he welcomed the findings of a fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into the derailment, which identified an incorrectly-built drain as the cause.
However he said “until and unless” Network Rail brings all rail infrastructure works in-house, there is a risk the “devastating” incident could be repeated.
Three people were killed and six injured when train 1T08 derailed at Carmont near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, on August 12, 2020 after hitting debris that was washed from the drain on to the track by heavy rain.
In her FAI determination, Sheriff Lesley Johnson said construction firm Carillion, which built the drain on behalf of Network Rail, had failed to follow the design it had been given.
Speaking to the Press Association, Mr Martin said: “I’d just like to reiterate our deepest condolences to the families of the three people that unfortunately lost their lives, and best wishes to the people injured and their families.
“(It was) a horrific event.
“Although it was over six years ago now, it will feel like yesterday to those families, and it’s a traumatic event.”
He added: “For the wider railway family, it’s also been traumatic.
“The railway family lost two members that day through an accident that could have been avoided, and that’s why the lessons must be learned to ensure these kind of matters cannot arise again.”
RMT backs findings of Carmont train disaster enquiry
RAIL union RMT fully backed the conclusions of the Fatal Accident Inquiry into the tragic derailment at Carmont in 2020 which cost the lives of three people and led to serious injury to others.
The Fatal Accident Inquiry… pic.twitter.com/a6tZAuN4wn
— RMT (@RMTunion) November 4, 2026
He welcomed the 20 recommendations set out in an earlier Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) report into the incident, which Sheriff Johnson described in her determination as “comprehensive and wide-ranging”.
However Mr Martin said the “only way we can ensure this doesn’t happen again” is by ending the outsourcing of infrastructure works by Network Rail.
This is not one of the 20 recommendations, but Mr Martin said it “doesn’t take a recommendation from anyone to do this”.
He said: “Until and unless Network Rail stop outsourcing infrastructure work, in other words, to insource it and do the work to Network Rail standards with Network Rail trained, competent, and certified staff, there is always a risk of an infrastructure failure leading to the deaths of other people.
“I hope that never happens, but there is that risk inherent in using staff (where) you don’t know what the fatigue levels are, and you don’t really know what their competence levels are.
“So for me, this is quite an easy fix. But will Network Rail and the UK and Scottish governments demand it? Time will tell.”
He also questioned the crash-worthiness of Scotland’s ageing high-speed train rolling stock, saying the sooner this is taken off the network the better.
He said the InterCity 125 train involved in the crash was first introduced to the network 50 years ago, and that it had “crumbled” in the crash rather than “standing up to it the way modern trains should”.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Our immediate thoughts remain with all those affected by this tragic accident.
“Whilst rail safety is reserved to the UK Government, it is a key priority.
“The Scottish Government takes the matter of safety on Scotland’s Railway very seriously. In doing so, we also fully understand the duty of care that all parties involved in designing, constructing and operating the railway have to each other and to the travelling public, and the duty of co-operation those parties have to facilitate safe operation.”
A Network Rail Scotland spokesperson said: “The tragedy at Carmont was a terrible day for our railway and our thoughts remain with the families and loved ones of Brett McCullough, Donald Dinnie and Christopher Stuchbury, along with all those affected by the derailment.
“Since August 2020 we have been working hard to make our railway safer for our passengers and colleagues, to deliver on the RAIB recommendations and to fully support the FAI process.
“We have made significant changes to how we manage the risk of severe weather since the accident and are working to increase the resilience of Scotland’s railway.
“We have also put in place extensive assurance measures to improve how we deliver engineering projects like the one at Carmont and have reviewed our maintenance procedures.”
The UK Government declined to comment.
