Derry line rigorouslychecked for landslips

Three passengers were tragically killed and six people were injured when a rain derailed after striking a landslip around 1.4 miles north-east of Carmont in Aberdeenshire on August 12.

The incident occurred following thunderstorms and heavy rainfaill.

Ms. Mallon has indicated that engineers here conduct regular inspections of the Derry to Belfast line both during and after bad weather in order to prevent such incidents occurring after being asked about the matter by the Foyle MLA Martina Anderson.

Ms. Anderson asked the minister “what measures NI Railways is taking to ensure that train lines in the North, which are located along costal routes and which could be susceptible to landslides and adverse weather conditions, are being made safe”.

The Minister responded: “NI Railways takes the safety of its network very seriously. Translink engineers manage and maintain similar infrastructure, not only on coastal routes but across the rail network, by carrying out regular inspections of the earthworks at set intervals.

“They also carry out safety inspections, both during and after adverse weather events, to ensure that preventative maintenance is undertaken where possible.

“Additional safety inspections and maintenance is also carried out at almost thirty drainage sites to prevent the blockage of culvert and earthworks drains and this activity is again intensified before and after heavy rainfall events.

“I have been closely following the developments of the official Rail Accident and Investigation Branch (RAIB) investigation that is ongoing into the derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven and intend to implement, where applicable, the recommendations made in this report when published to ensure that the risk of such events occurring on NI Railways is mitigated as much as possible.

“My thoughts go out to all those who lost their loved ones and to everyone who was affected by this tragedy.”

According to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) the driver, conductor and one passenger of the train travelling from Aberdeen to Dundee suffered fatal injuries after a derailment when the train on which they were travelling hit a landslip near Stonehaven.

The RAIB believes gravel and some larger pieces of rock were washed onto the line after thunderstorms in August.