Lorry that hit Oldmeldrum house was carrying 'rare' steam engine

A lorry which crashed into a historic Oldmeldrum property was carrying a “rare and expensive” steam engine.

Local businessman Cameron Anderson – who co-owns the town’s Subsea Tooling Services – is working with a team to recreate the sound of the whistles which rang out on RMS Titanic at noon every day of her doomed maiden voyage.

Mr Anderson previously spoke to The Press and Journal about the project saying he sometimes get the “notion to do something strange or odd”.

After organising for a lorry from Finland to transport the rare machinery over to Scotland, he was stunned to learn it had been involved in an accident, and arrived on scene to make sure everyone was safe.

The HGV crashed into the historic property on South Road – the A920 – shortly after 3pm.

Police, firefighters and emergency services were sent to the town, closing the main route through Oldmeldrum.

A teenage boy required hospital treatment. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

A 16-year-old boy was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment to injuries caused by falling debris.

Meanwhile, police said the 44-year-old lorry driver will be “subject of a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with driving offences”.

“What a Friday!” a couple from the normally quiet town told The Press and Journal at the scene.

Lorry that hit Oldmeldrum house was carrying rare steam engine

Mr Anderson explained how the lorry was carrying an incredibly rare 114-year-old, 16-tonne engine.

He bought the machinery from Finland, and said the lorry belongs to a Finnish company named Transport Hosike.

Cameron Anderson with his steam traction engine Erebus at the Nairn Show 2024. Image: Susy Macaulay/DC Thomson

Along with his wife Emily, his graduate-apprentice Findlay Lawson and engineer Hugh Watson, the team are working on the ambitious project of recreating the Titanic’s whistle at his company’s base at Academy Way.

Mr Anderson said: “I bought this engine for sale over in Finland, it’s a triple expansion 1910 steam engine and part of the project that we’re doing.

“This was the next phase to restore a triple expansion engine, the same what the Titanic had.”

Although he said he hopes the “rare and expensive” machine is safe, he insisted that “the main thing is that everybody’s OK”.

The South Road property has been badly damaged. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson.

Oldmeldrum residents recall ‘scary’ lorry crash

Oldmeldrum neighbours said they were startled today by the noise of the lorry crashing into the house wall.

One resident said: “It’s quite a big lorry to come through Meldrum. It shouldn’t have been coming through there and there are signs to warn lorries they shouldn’t be up here.

“That’ll be the road shut for a while.”

Another woman walking by The Square described the incident as “scary”.

She said: “I’ve often passed there on foot, and it is really narrow.

“Hopefully the lad’s fine.”

Owner of Solo Barbers Riad said he was “so glad” that the lorry did not hit his shop. Image: Chris Cromar/DC Thomson

Meanwhile, Riad Shaar – who owns nearby Solo Barbers – said he was “so glad” the lorry did not hit his shop.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “At around 3.20pm on Friday, October 11, we were called to a report of a lorry having struck a building in South Road, Oldmeldrum.

“A 16-year-old male pedestrian attended Aberdeen Royal Infirmary for treatment to injuries caused by falling debris.

“A 41-year-old man will be subject of a report to the procurator fiscal in connection with driving offences.”