Passenger “faints” on crowded ScotRail train

One passenger tweeted that he recovered and was given water and a seat by others in the carriage.

ScotRail said the service ran with three carriages rather than the normal six because of a last-minute fault.

The incident comes as the operator struggles to meet rising passenger demand with its current train fleet, which has been further stretched by the opening of the Borders Railway in September.

Edward Swift tweeted: “Someone fainted on the @ScotRail 8.22 from Falkirk High to Edinburgh due to the overcrowding & heat. Do you not have a temperature control?”

Calum Leslie, another passenger, tweeted: “Someone fainted in my carriage (they’re okay now, people gave them water and a seat).”

Another tweet, from Brian Cooper, said: “To say that your 0800 Glasgow to Edinburgh is like a cattle truck is an insult to cattle trucks. Ridiculously overcrowded & hot @ScotRail.”

A ScotRail spokeswoman said: “We understand that travelling on a busy train is uncomfortable for our customers, and distribute our carriages to best meet demand.

“On this occasion, a train fault meant our 0800 Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh service ran with fewer carriages than normal.

“We apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused this morning.”