Polmont train accident

Polmont train accident, On Monday, 30 July 1984 a westbound express train, the 17:30 service from Edinburgh Waverley to Glasgow Queen Street. After passing the junction for Stirling the train driver, John Tennant, spotted a cow on the line in the cutting on the approach to Falkirk High station and applied the emergency brakes. The train failed to stop in time hitting the adult Ayrshire cow. The impact caused the whole train to derail. Casualties were mainly in the two leading carriages, and most fatalities were due to passengers being ejected through windows or hit by other passengers or objects as the carriages were thrown about, 13 passengers were killed and 61 injured. Our Picture Shows: Shocked and dazed survivors gather outside The Answer pub near the scene of the accident. (Photo by Staff/Mirrorpix/Getty Images)