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Stonehaven train derailment: Minute's silence honours victims

Train derailment: Relatives gather for one minute silence

A one-minute silence has been held at railway stations across the UK to honour three men killed in a train derailment in Aberdeenshire a week ago.

Driver Brett McCullough, 45, conductor Donald Dinnie, 58, and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62, died near Stonehaven. Six others were injured.

The train derailed after hitting a landslip following heavy rain.

Family members of the men who lost their lives were among those who gathered at Aberdeen station.

Stations fell silent at 09:43 - the time the crash was reported last Wednesday.

Police Scotland Brett McCullough, Donald Dinnie and Chris StuchburyPolice Scotland
Brett McCullough, Donald Dinnie and Chris Stuchbury died after the train left the tracks

It came as NHS Grampian announced the final injured patient still in hospital had now been discharged.

The 06:38 Aberdeen to Glasgow service crashed near Carmont.

An initial report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said the train had turned back towards Aberdeen after reports of a landslip further down the track.

It had travelled more than a mile when it was derailed after hitting a separate landslip.

PA Media Glasgow Queen Street silencePA Media
Glasgow's Queen Street Station fell silent at 9:43
Floral tributes
Floral tributes were laid at Aberdeen station on Wednesday

ScotRail said the one-minute silence was being observed at all stations in Scotland and others elsewhere in the UK.

Alex Hynes, managing director of Scotland's Railway, was among those at Aberdeen station on Wednesday morning for the silence.

The crash scene
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He said of the three men: "They are in our hearts - today is about remembering them. You can tell by the floral tributes how popular they were."

He said the "railway family" was paying its respect, and he hoped the silence would help the process of "comfort and healing".

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Mr Hynes described the derailment as a "horrendous tragedy".

UK Transport Minister Grant Shapps has asked Network Rail to produce an interim report by 1 September.

On Tuesday, fire crew members and Fire Brigades Union (FBU) officials had laid three bouquets of flowers at Aberdeen railway station in tribute to the victims.

Denise Christie, FBU Scotland regional secretary, said: "What happened at Stonehaven was heartbreaking and we send our heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and colleagues of those lost."

She added: "No-one should lose their life through their work."

Four firefighters were injured after being struck by a vehicle while responding to the incident. Two were treated at the scene and the other two were treated in hospital and later released.