WE take train safety so much for granted that it is a shock to see smoke billowing from an Edinburgh to Glasgow train. This was just outside Lenzie in 1983 when a fire was noticed in the gap between the last two carriages on an early evening train. Someone pulled the emergency cord - we've all wanted to do that - the train stopped, and some folk were injured jumping on to the line. There were no serious injuries.
One young couple, David Fergus and Wendy Cleland, were travelling to Glasgow Airport to go on holiday to Rhodes, and lost their luggage and passports in the blaze. The Herald reported the next day that British Rail had replaced their belongings, helped them obtain emergency passports, and sent them on their way just a day late. Remarkably the train merely uncoupled the last three carriages and carried on to Glasgow. You suspect they wouldn't do that these days.
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