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The driver of the train that came off the rails and crashed in Cumbria on February 23rd 2007 has been hailed a hero by Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson.
The 46-year-old driver suffered neck and back injuries in the railway accident but doctors have revealed that he is likely to make a full recovery.
Although one elderly lady sadly died in the train crash near the village of Graygrigg, it has been revealed that the driver prevented further deaths and serious passenger injuries by staying in his cabin even after the Pendolino train had left the track.
Colliding with defective points, the train was thrown from the rails whilst travelling at more than 95mph and proceeded to career along the trackside. The driver had the chance to leave his cab and retreat to relative safety further back in the carriages but chose to stay at the helm and fought to bring the train under control.
Doing so, he risked suffering serious personal injuries or even death in the railway accident that he knew was about to happen.
Hearing of the driver's heroics, Virgin chief Branson said, "He is definitely a hero. In the sober light of day we will have to see if he can be recognised as such.
"The driver came around the corner, the line was defective and the train went off the line. But he carried on sitting in his carriage for half a mile, running the train on the stone.
"He could have tried to get back to protect himself but he didn't and has ended up quite badly injured.
"The good news is that he can move his hands and both his legs so, although it is a bad neck injury, I think the prognosis is positive and we look forward to having him back as a train driver."
The driver, known to be from Dumbarton in Scotland, was trapped in the wreckage and had to wait an hour for emergency services to reach the site of the railway accident and cut him free. He was rushed to the Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire, along with injured passengers who had been travelling on the train.
Millionaire Branson is not the only one to have praised the driver's actions and a spokesman from Aslef, the train driver's union, said, "Our member has done a wonderful job in driving the train.
"We hope he will make a speedy recovery."
