The engine of the Dundee train, an LNER Class D29 № 9896 Dandie Dinmont, was pushed forward 52 yards (48 m).
[3] The locomotive of the Edinburgh train, LNER Class A3 № 2744 Grand Parade, was damaged beyond repair (and was replaced by a new engine with the same number and name in April 1938).
This was Britain's worst snow-related rail crash, others of note being Elliot Junction in 1906 and Abbots Ripton in 1876.
[7] At around the time of the accident, snow was falling, but the signalman at Castlecary claimed that it did not affect visibility to the extent of needing to take any special precautions.
A set of points ahead had been blocked by snow and caused several trains to back up, and the Castlecary home signal was therefore at "danger".
This method had worked since the signal's failure the night before and throughout the early morning, but at 09:00, Craig became confused by the presence of four different trains in the Greenhill area.
Shortly after, Class 24 engine D5122, crewed by Driver W. McIntosh and Secondman R. Birrell, running light from Glasgow to Perth, arrived at the signal in rear of the Up train.
Mere seconds after the collision, the Down line cleared and the Down DMU proceeded, suffering minor damage from a jutting piece of debris scraping the cab.