Subway Users Forced to Walk Underground in Tunnel

SCORES of subway passengers had to walk half a mile through an underground tunnel yesterday after being evacuated from the fume- filled carriages of a rush-hour train.

Up to 100 commuters were escorted along a walkway to Partick station in Glasgow after an engineering fault caused the train to break down.

The incident happened at 8.45am on the Outer Circle half way between Govan and Partick.

Although there was no fire in the train, there were fumes and smoke, according to Strathclyde Passenger Transport (SPT).

Attempts to restore power were unsuccessful and so staff evacuated between 90 to 100 passengers.

Everyone was safely brought to Partick station after a 10-minute walk through the tunnel. Normal service on the line resumed at 10am, said SPT.

Bob Wylie, the operator’s communications director, said: “We have to apologise to the people who were on the train for any distress or inconvenience this caused.

“From time to time there are engineering problems which disrupt the Subway service.

“Understandably some people may have found walking through the tunnel an unpleasant experience.”

David Hewitson, 29, a media manager from Glasgow, was on the train.

He said: “The train just stopped suddenly and they told us we would have to walk up the tunnel.

“A few people were upset, one woman was crying and there were schoolchildren on board. There was a toxic smell.

“But it was orderly and we were moved to the front of the train and into the tunnel while passengers reassured the woman.”

Elsewhere, a passenger train was just seconds away from colliding with heavy freight wagons after it switched to the wrong track, it has been revealed.

A report into the near miss at Haymarket Station in Edinburgh was released yesterday, with accident investigators ordering better training to be carried out for railway staff.

A train from the English, Welsh and Scottish Railways company carrying 35 trucks of gravel accidentally joined the main Edinburgh- to-Glasgow route without permission from signallers.

Once the freight driver realised what was wrong, he contacted signallers who quickly stopped the other train and prevented a crash. There were no injuries in the incident, which happened on Saturday, January 14 last year.

EWS said it would work with the rest of the rail industry and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch on recommendations to review practices.

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