FORTY passengers have been evacuated from a train after carriages started filling with smoke.
Fire crews descended on the ScotRail train – which left Inverness at 5.36am today – after smoke was detected on board.
AlamySmoke was detected on the train halfway through its journey[/caption]
The service was halted between Gleneagles and Dunblane as emergency services were scrambled to the scene.
It was heading towards Glasgow Queen Street when customers were directed towards the First Class carriage.
Passengers were swiftly removed and transferred to another Perth-bound train after they reported a “strange smell” in the carriage.
There are no reported injuries following the incident.
ScotRail are now warning of further delays to services between Glasgow Queen Street and Inverness, and Edinburgh Waverley and Inverness.
Mark Ilderton, ScotRail’s service delivery director, confirmed that passengers had been safely removed from the train.
He said: “The 05:36 Inverness to Glasgow Queen Street service was brought to a stop near Gleneagles this morning after reports of smoke being detected in one of the carriages.
“Our immediate priority is the safety and wellbeing of everyone on board, and customers have been safely assisted from the train.”
Speaking to the BBC, passenger Sarah MacMath explained that she had fallen asleep and awoke to “lots of smoke” in her carriage.
The 35-year-old said: “We did notice there was a bit of a funny smell from Aviemore or Kingussie – just a strange smell.
“I dozed off and woke up when the train stopped near Gleneagles and there was quite a lot of smoke in the carriage.
“The person then came over the loud speaker and asked us to either move to the end carriage or the first carriage.
“At that point, I stood up and there was a pretty heavy smell of smoke and there was quite a lot of it in the carriage.”
The train is currently being taken back to a depot in Glasgow.
Earlier this year, another ScotsRail train caught fire, with pictures showing smoke billowing from the engine.
The service was forced to stop at Riverside Drive in Dundee, Scotland, blocking all lines.
It sparked major delays for passengers, with subsequent services altered or cancelled.
Speaking after the incident, National Rail said: “A fault on a train between Dundee and Leuchars means that all lines are blocked.
“Trains running between Dundee and Kirkcaldy may be cancelled, delayed or revised.”
Google MapsThe train was heading to Glasgow Queen Street station[/caption] Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
