A sheriff has said the location of the fatal accident inquiry (FAI) into an Aberdeenshire train derailment which claimed three lives will be confirmed as soon as possible.

Sheriff Lesley Johnston apologised and said there is a “lot of work” going on to determine the venue for the FAI into the derailment at Carmont near Stonehaven , which took place in August 2020.

Train driver Brett McCullough, 45; conductor Donald Dinnie, 58; and passenger Christopher Stuchbury, 62; died in the incident on August 12 that year, and six people were injured.

A criminal prosecution saw Network Rail fined £6.7 million in 2023 after it admitted health and safety failings over the crash, which happened on a day of torrential rain.

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