On 22nd May 1915 there was a huge rail disaster at Quintinhill, near Gretna involving a troop train, a local train and the Glasgow Express. Only half the soldiers on the troop train survived. Those killed were mainly Territorial soldiers from the A & D company of the 1/7th (Leith) Battalion, the Royal Scots, part of the 52nd Lowland Division, while on route to Liverpool from Larbert, Stirlingshire, heading for Gallipoli. 210 men were killed and 224 injured, forming the majority of the 473 casualties of the worst disaster in British railway history. The precise number of dead was never established with confidence as the regiment’s roll was destroyed by the fire.
The soldiers were buried together in a mass grave in Edinburgh's Rosebank Cemetery, where an annual remembrance service is held. The Memorial, unveiled by the Earl of Rosebery, Honorary Colonel of the Battalion, on 12 May 1916, takes the form of a Celtic cross, standing 15ft 6ins, made from Peterhead granite with an inscription and an explanatory plaque to the front and shields, bearing the Regimental Badge and Leith Burgh Coat-of-Arms, one on each side.
The official inquiry, convened 3 days after the crash and completed on 17 June 1915, found a number of serious failings in procedure which, when combined, led to the disaster. The worst of these was the failure of the two signalmen on duty in the Quintinshill Box, now demolished, but which then immediately overlooked the crash site, to alert the troop-train to the local passenger train waiting in its path. Both signalmen were subsequently charged, appeared before the High Court in Edinburgh on 24 September, found guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced to periods of imprisonment, one of them with hard labour.
With both loops occupied, the northbound local train had been reversed onto the southbound line to allow passage of the late running northbound Glasgow Express Its presence was then overlooked, and the southbound troop train was cleared for passage. It collided head on with the local passenger train.
Normally the local train would have been held in one of the loops at Quintinshill but both of these were already occupied by goods trains. The troop train overturned, mostly onto the neighbouring north-bound mainline track and, a minute later, the Glasgow-bound express ploughed into the wreckage causing it to burst into flame. The ferocity of the fire, and consequent difficulty of rescuing those trapped in the overturned and mangled carriages, was compounded by the fact that most of the carriages were very old, made of wood and lit by gas which was stored in reservoirs slung under the carriages. These ruptured, the escaping gas igniting from the coal burning fires of the engines. The gas reservoirs of the troop train had been filled before leaving Larbert and this, and the lack of available water, meant it was not until the morning of the next day that the fire was extinguished — despite the best efforts of railway staff and the Carlisle fire brigade.
Normally the local train would have been held in one of the loops at Quintinshill but both of these were already occupied by goods trains. The troop train overturned, mostly onto the neighbouring north-bound mainline track and, a minute later, the Glasgow-bound express ploughed into the wreckage causing it to burst into flame. The ferocity of the fire, and consequent difficulty of rescuing those trapped in the overturned and mangled carriages, was compounded by the fact that most of the carriages were very old, made of wood and lit by gas which was stored in reservoirs slung under the carriages. These ruptured, the escaping gas igniting from the coal burning fires of the engines. The gas reservoirs of the troop train had been filled before leaving Larbert and this, and the lack of available water, meant it was not until the morning of the next day that the fire was extinguished — despite the best efforts of railway staff and the Carlisle fire brigade.
The troop train consisted of 21 carriages, and apart from the rear six which had broken away during the impact and rolled back along the line a short distance, the entire train was consumed in the fire, as were four coaches from the express train and some goods wagons.
All four locomotives — the express was double headed — of the troop train, the local train and the express, were also badly damaged by fire and the intensity of the fire was so hot that all the coal in the tenders was burned.
Considering the double collision and the fire, casualties in the other trains were lighter than might have been expected.
On the local train two passengers died, with none seriously injured, while on the express seven passengers died, with a further 51 and three members of railway staff seriously injured.
On the express were Soldiers of the 9th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, travelling home on leave from the Battle of Ypres in Belgium. Home leave had only been granted to four officers and a number of other ranks. Having survived the Battle, they returned home only to die in this disaster.
All four locomotives — the express was double headed — of the troop train, the local train and the express, were also badly damaged by fire and the intensity of the fire was so hot that all the coal in the tenders was burned.
Considering the double collision and the fire, casualties in the other trains were lighter than might have been expected.
On the local train two passengers died, with none seriously injured, while on the express seven passengers died, with a further 51 and three members of railway staff seriously injured.
On the express were Soldiers of the 9th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, travelling home on leave from the Battle of Ypres in Belgium. Home leave had only been granted to four officers and a number of other ranks. Having survived the Battle, they returned home only to die in this disaster.
It was a devastating blow to the Battalion and to the whole population of Leith - it was said that there was not a family in the town untouched by the tragedy, probably made worse by the fact that, out of the 216 who died in the disaster, or soon afterwards from their injuries, only 83 were ever identified. The remaining 133 bodies could not be identified or were, literally, cremated within the firestorm of the wreckage. On Sunday 23rd, 107 coffins were taken back to Edinburgh and were placed in the Battalion's Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street, off Leith Walk. On the afternoon of Monday 24th May, 101 of these were taken in procession for burial in a mass grave that had been dug in Rosebank Cemetery, Pilrig Street, about a mile from the Drill Hall. ‘The route was lined by 3,150 soldiers, thousands of citizens stood shoulder to shoulder on the pavement; shops were closed, blinds drawn and the traffic stopped.'
Of the half-battalion (498 all ranks) on the train only sixty-two survived unscathed. These survivors, including the Commanding Officer, continued on to Liverpool where six officers embarked, and sailed on the Sunday on HMT Empress of Britain with the second half of the Battalion, while one officer and the 55 NCO and soldier survivors were sent back to Edinburgh.
Of the half-battalion (498 all ranks) on the train only sixty-two survived unscathed. These survivors, including the Commanding Officer, continued on to Liverpool where six officers embarked, and sailed on the Sunday on HMT Empress of Britain with the second half of the Battalion, while one officer and the 55 NCO and soldier survivors were sent back to Edinburgh.
It was a devastating blow to the Battalion and to the whole population of Leith - it was said that there was not a family in the town untouched by the tragedy, probably made worse by the fact that, out of the 216 who died in the disaster, or soon afterwards from their injuries, only 83 were ever identified. The remaining 133 bodies could not be identified or were, literally, cremated within the firestorm of the wreckage. On Sunday 23rd, 107 coffins were taken back to Edinburgh and were placed in the Battalion's Drill Hall in Dalmeny Street, off Leith Walk. On the afternoon of Monday 24th May, 101 of these were taken in procession for burial in a mass grave that had been dug in Rosebank Cemetery, Pilrig Street, about a mile from the Drill Hall. ‘The route was lined by 3,150 soldiers, thousands of citizens stood shoulder to shoulder on the pavement; shops were closed, blinds drawn and the traffic stopped.' Of the half-battalion (498 all ranks) on the train only sixty-two survived unscathed. These survivors, including the Commanding Officer, continued on to Liverpool where six officers embarked, and sailed on the Sunday on HMT Empress of Britain with the second half of the Battalion, while one officer and the 55 NCO and soldier survivors were sent back to Edinburgh.
© Queensferry History Group 2016