RAIB Investigates After Driver’s Hand Trapped During Carstairs Sleeper Move

A train driver was seriously injured during a shunting movement involving two portions of the Caledonian Sleeper at Carstairs station in South Lanarkshire.

The incident happened at around 00:45 on 28 April 2026 during an operation involving two separate sleeper services. These were 1C11 from Edinburgh and 1M11 from Glasgow.

The two portions had been coupled together at Carstairs so the combined service could continue south towards London Euston. Once the coupling had taken place, the locomotive from train 1C11 was detached.

After the locomotive had been separated, its driver and a driver assessor went onto the track near the locomotive to carry out training involving the coupling equipment.

While they were doing this, train 1M11 moved towards them. The driver saw the approaching train only shortly before it reached their position and warned the driver assessor.

Both tried to get clear, but the driver suffered serious injuries when their hand became trapped between the train and the locomotive. The driver assessor was not injured, although they only narrowly avoided becoming trapped.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch has now opened an investigation into the accident. It will examine the sequence of events that led to the incident and the circumstances surrounding the shunting operation.

The RAIB investigation will also consider:

• the actions of those involved and the factors that may have influenced them

• the planning and control of the shunting operation

• the arrangements in place for staff working on or near the track during shunting and coupling activities

• how the risks associated with coupling operations were being managed

• any underlying management factors.

Image: Caledonian Sleeper