Derailment caused commuter delays
Published 20 Jul 2012 10:00
COMMUTERS on the busy Kilmarnock to Dumfries train line were forced to make a long diversion after a maintenance train derailed at Sanquhar.
The incident happened early on Monday, June 16 - meaning hundreds of rush hour passengers had to use replacement bus services, or be diverted to catch trains from Glasgow.
Passengers from Auchinleck, New Cumnock and Kirkconnel were caught up in the travel chaos - with normal service not resuming until 11.30am.
Scotrail passengers on the line were put on buses which ran to stations between Dumfries and Kilmarnock while other passengers while passengers travelling to Carlisle were asked to make their way to Glasgow to get on a Virgin train instead.
Among the many commuters who was delayed by the problems was Cathy Jamieson MP who missed a parliamentary session as her weekly commute from Auchinleck rail station to London was delayed.
The trouble was believed to have been caused by a Network Rail engineering train which derailed following overnight maintenance work on the line.
A spokeswoman for Scotrail apologised for the delays.
She said: ""While the line was closed we organised replacement buses and also arranged for Virgin Trains to carry our passengers between Glasgow and Carlisle. We apologise to customers for this inconvenience which was beyond our control."
Network Rail were unavailable for comment.
This article appeared in Cumnock Chronicle 20 Jul 12
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