Stonehaven derailment could have been avoided, inquiry finds
A fatal accident inquiry has concluded that the 2020 Stonehaven train derailment, which killed three men, could have been avoided if a drain had been installed correctly.
How it was covered
- Channel 5 was the only channel found covering it, concentrating on the avoidable drain faults, the three deaths and Network Rail's response.
- BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 4, GB News, ITV and Sky News: not found in tracked broadcasts.
- BBC News: covered online, not found on air.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story. Facts only one channel reported are attributed to it.
Channel 5 reported that a fatal accident inquiry has concluded the 2020 Stonehaven train derailment could have been avoided if a drain had been installed correctly. The channel said the Aberdeen to Glasgow train struck a landslide near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire during heavy rain and flooding before it derailed.
According to Channel 5, driver Brett McCullough, conductor Donald Dinnie and passenger Christopher Stuchbury died, and six other people were hurt.
The inquiry found construction firm Carillion had failed to build the drain in accordance with drawings, Channel 5 reported. The channel said Network Rail had failed to make sure it had been built to the correct designs, and that the drain failed when heavy rain came, causing a landslip.
Channel 5 reported that Network Rail was fined £6.7 million in 2023 after admitting health and safety failings. The channel said the fatal accident inquiry did not seek to apportion blame or make safety recommendations because it considered that the RAIB had already done so.
In response to the report, Network Rail described the crash as a terrible day for the railway and paid tribute to those who had lost their lives, according to Channel 5. The company said it had worked hard to meet the safety recommendations and had made significant changes to how it operates in severe weather, the channel reported.
Channel 5 said the report, nearly 200 pages long, closes with a tribute to the dead and to the contribution of survivors to lessons that can be learned from the tragedy.
Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| An inquiry into the Stonehaven derailment concluded that installing the drain properly could have prevented the accident. | |
| The inquiry found Carillion had not constructed the drain as specified in the drawings. | |
| The inquiry found Network Rail had not ensured the drain was constructed to the correct designs. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The 5 News report led on the human cost of the 2020 crash and the inquiry's conclusion that it was avoidable. It focused on the faulty drain, the roles of Carillion and Network Rail, the earlier £6.7 million fine and Network Rail's response. It did not broaden out into wider political or regulatory questions.
- “Carillion never followed the instructions that were given”
- “This inquiry doesn't seek to apportion any blame or make any safety recommendations”
- “described the crash as a terrible day for the railway”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.