By Niamh Anderson
A MOTHER-of-two is planning to sue rail chiefs after a horrific incident in which she claims a train door shut without warning, pushing her on to the track and under the wheels.
Traumatised Marnie Inches broke her arm in the incident, which was witnessed by her horrified husband and children.
The 36-year-old’s life was saved after her husband and eldest son jumped on to the tracks to pull her clear while the youngest boy yelled at railway staff to stop the train moving off.
Mrs Inches is now planning legal action against ScotRail, saying neither she nor any member of the family heard an alarm telling them the door was shutting.
She also claims ScotRail staff witnessed the accident but stood by as her husband and child risked their lives to rescue her.
FORCED ONTO THE TRACKS
Mrs Inches, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, was trying to get off a train at the town’s railway station when the terrifying accident happened. With her were husband Alex, 38, Reece, 12, and Lewis, 10.
She said: “My oldest son stepped off in front of me and I was just about to get off.
“The doors began to close on my arm. The force of the door pushed me down beneath the tracks of the train.
“I was absolutely terrified that the train would pull away and drag me with it but before I knew it my husband and son were dragging me up by my arms off the track before it could pull away.”
The fall broke Mrs Inches’ right arm and although her limb can be fixed, the mental trauma of the incident will be with her for a long time.
She said: “I didn’t hear any alarm to warn me that the doors were about to close and neither did my husband or sons.
“As far as I’m concerned, they just started to close without warning, which says to me that the train has some sort of design fault.”
She also alleges that ScotRail staff, both at the time and since, failed to act properly.
GUARDS “DID NOTHING”
Mrs Inches says three Scot Rail guards were on the platform when the incident occurred.
But it was her husband and son who were on hand to rescue her from the tracks.
She said: “I cannot understand why the three guards didn’t rush to my aid when they saw what had happened.
“I’m absolutely disgusted that my child had to pull me from the tracks while the guards stood by on the platform. “They could see exactly what happened but they didn’t seem to be in any rush to see if I was alright. They didn’t look like they were concerned about my welfare at all.
“They checked on me to see that I was alright and stayed for ten minutes. After that, all three of them hopped back on the train and left me with my husband and kids to wait for the ambulance on our own.”
Astounded by being left alone by ScotRail staff, Mrs. Inches was taken to Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline, where she was treated for shock and her broken arm.
“The thing that bothered me the most was that ScotRail didn’t even bother to follow up on me to see if I was alright.
“No phone calls, no voicemails, nothing!”
The distressed mother contacted British Transport Police who confirmed that ScotRail had lodged a formal incident report. However, she has not heard anything from them since.
The incident happened on July 16 but Mrs Inches only feels able now to reveal her horrifying ordeal and what she claims is the callous attitude of ScotRail staff.
Mrs Inches has had to take ten weeks off work since the accident happened.
“I drive 30 miles to and from work and type and write everyday. Since the accident, I haven’t been able to go to work and it’ll be ten weeks before I can return now that I’ll be starting physio this week.”
“But ScotRail don’t seem to give a damn,” she added.
A ScotRail spokesman said: “We would be happy to meet this customer and review the accident. An initial investigation, including a review of CCTV, showed that the door alarm was sounding as she was alighting from the train. No faults were found with the door.”
He added that the passenger followed up her accident report on the night of the incident with a telephone call to customer relations on July 22.
He also said that a response was sent that day, seeking further details. To date, no reply has been received and, as is right and proper, the company would deal directly with the customer.
SCOTRAIL UNDER INVESTIGATION
ScotRail is currently investigating an incident at Perth railway station in 21-year-old Garry Geddes lost an arm after falling under a train.
The man from Buckie was returning home after watching Rangers play Aberdeen in Glasgow on Sunday evening.
He was travelling back to Moray by train with two friends after they missed their bus. I
t is understood Mr Geddes, who is in a stable condition in Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, stepped off the train in Perth and while trying to get back on slipped and fell beneath the moving carriage.
A witness to the accident said the train travelled a few hundred yards before coming to a halt.
A ScotRail spokesman added: “We are cooperating fully in the investigation into this tragic incident.”
