Eight injured as Glasgow to Oban train derails

One of the train carriages is lying at an angle down the embankment

Eight people have been taken to hospital after a train derailed, leaving its two carriages "precariously balanced" over a 15-metre embankment.

Both carriages of the Glasgow to Oban train caught fire near the Falls of Cruachan power station by Loch Awe, Argyll and Bute, on Sunday night.

Police said no-one had been seriously hurt, although many of those injured were described as "walking wounded".

All the estimated 60 passengers on the train were removed safely.

Police said two of those hurt have minor spinal injuries following the derailment, which happened shortly before 2100 BST.

In a statement, police said eight people were taken to three different hospitals. None of their injuries were thought to be life-threatening.

British Transport Police: 'The coach could slip down on to the roadway'

An ambulance service spokesman said soon after the derailment: "There's quite a lot of walking wounded. There's a couple of bumps to necks and backs and things like that."

Passenger Paul Gibson told the BBC News Channel: "It felt like it was a few minutes or so, but it must have been only about 20 seconds.

"Bags and shelves seemed to sort of start flying across the carriage.

"And then all of a sudden on either side of us on the outside big balls of flame managed to come across us."

Insp David McEwan from British Transport Police said that the front coach of the train was "sitting in a precarious position overhanging the roadway", while the rear carriage was still on the track.

He said that engineers were working to make the site safe.

"The coach could slip further down the embankment on to the roadway," he said.

"This is obviously a major concern for the engineers at this moment in time."

Those needing treatment were taken to hospitals in Glasgow, Oban and Lochgilphead.

The remaining passengers were taken on to Oban, a joint statement by the Strathclyde and British Transport Police forces said.

Ambulance and MoD helicopters were also called to the scene because of the remoteness of the area.

A British Transport Police spokesman said: "The train involved was the 1820 hours Glasgow Queen Street to Oban service. This is a two-car train and the leading car has derailed and caught fire."

Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service said there was a "major deployment of fire crews and appliances".

A spokesman for the train operator ScotRail said: "An investigation is already under way into the cause of the incident by appropriate agencies and industry partners."

The A85 is closed at the junction with the A819, but there is still access to Loch Awe village, police said. The A85 is also closed at the junction with the A828.