30th July 1984

Passengers killed when train hits a cow

All six carriages of a locomotive train were derailed when the engine struck a cow close to Polmont railway station. Part of the cow became wedged under the leading wheels of the front carriage, lifting them up, after which the train, which was navigating a bend, crashed onto its side.

Some of the carriages cartwheeled over one another, and the passengers were thrown around, and even out of the windows. Thirteen were killed and a further 61 were injured.

A memorial to the dead was unveiled at Polmont station in 2009, to mark the 25th anniversary of the accident.

 

 

Other events that occured in July

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