The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has announced that they are investigating an incident whereby a HST derailed near Dalwhinnie station.

Ar 03:03 on the 10th April 2021, an empty ScotRail HST was being used to check platform to train stepping distances but was wrongly sent from the up line to the down line at a cross over to the south of Dalwhinnie station.

However, before the train was able to be stopped, the rear three bogies derailed due to the points being moved under the train.

The crossover had a set of points at each end of the short track section linking the up and down lines. The line speed is 70 mph on the up line but reduces to 15mph when travelling over the crossover. The HST was going around 33mph when it was wrongly diverted onto the crossover and came to a stop around 290 metres after this.

There were five people on board the train, including the driver, and no one was injured.

Damage was sustained to the train, track and signalling equipment in the incident.

The signal was displaying a proceed indication for the route on the up line but there was no signalled route across the crossover.

Both sets of points that make up the crossover were detected as being in the correct position for the up line by the signalling system and this information was passed on to the signaller, the points however were set to use the crossover.

The RAIB will produce their final report online.

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