On 14th February 1933 tragedy struck at Strathbungo Station.

It was just past 8am during the morning rush hour, and a gang of seven workmen were on the down line inspecting the permanent way and sleepers. David Coyne (56) was their foreman, and was acting as lookout. His colleagues were William Brown (64), John Cathcart (60, of nearby Herriet Street), Robert Wilson, Louis O’Neill, Francis Gallacher and James Carlisle.

An East Kilbride bound train in July 1948 at the down platform of Strathbungo Station, the scene of the tragedy in 1933. Photo: GH Robin / Mitchell Library

They stopped work to allow the Glasgow-Kilmarnock train to pass through, then returned to their duties. Meanwhile a Glasgow-bound train stopped at the opposite platform. As it departed a great cloud of steam billowed under the Nithsdale Road bridge on which the station office sat. The steam obscured the approach of a light engine proceeding south under the bridge and into the station, on its way to collect a train at Busby.

Coyne spotted the approaching engine and shouted “There’s an engine coming, boys, get clear”, but it was too late. The departing train on the other line had the men hemmed in. Three managed to jump into the narrow gap between the line and the base of the platform. “We were quite safe there and the engine passed us. We could hardly see it for the cloud of steam and smoke coming from the engine of the city-bound train which was passing under the bridge.”

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