Heavily worn rail blamed for train coming off tracks

Published on Friday 5 August 2011 17:01

CONCERNS have been raised about Network Rail's inspection and maintenance regime after a "heavily worn" stretch of track near Edinburgh's Waverley station was blamed for a derailment that caused two days of disruption for commuters.

A preliminary report by the UK government's Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it had been caused by a worn switch rail that forced the train off the tracks.

The finding confirms a report in The Scotsman last Friday that the investigation was believed to be focusing on that set of points.

Many trains serving the capital's rail hub were severely disrupted over two days last week after the derailment during the evening rush hour. The empty ScotRail train remained upright

but the front wheels of its rear carriage came off the rails beside Princes Street Gardens. The driver and conductor of the empty train, which was heading from Cowdenbeath towards Waverley, were uninjured.

The report cleared the train driver and signalling system in the area of any involvement.

It stated: "The RAIB's preliminary examination has found that the derailment occurred because the flanges of the wheels climbed over the left-hand switch rail of points 167B, which was heavily worn."

Patrick Harvie, MSP, the Scottish Greens transport spokesman and former convener of Holyrood's transport committee, said: "It is very worrying this hasn't been picked up during the routine inspections which ought to be happening, particularly on a part of the network as busy as the run-up to Waverley station.

"Most passengers would expect the tracks and points there to be inspected on a regular basis, and I would be concerned it hasn't been picked up in advance."

The report revealed the empty train was travelling at less than 20mph when it left the tracks shortly before 6pm on Wednesday, 27 July, when the rims of the train's wheels, designed to keep them on the tracks, "climbed" over the rail line.

The RAIB inspectors said: "The train from Cowdenbeath to Edinburgh Waverley was passing over the junctions in Princes Street Gardens at about 19mph when all wheels of the leading bogie of the last vehicle became derailed to the left at facing points 167B.

"These points were set for the train to take the right-hand route, from the up north line towards platform 15 at Waverley station. The train, which was crewed by a driver and a conductor, ran for about 90 metres before coming to a stop, and the derailed bogie caused damage to the track. There was also some damage to the underside of the train. No-one was hurt."

The report said Network Rail, which is responsible for tracks, had examined the other switch rails in area and had found no others in a similar condition.

The preliminary report added that the ongoing investigation would include an examination of the condition of the train and the track to establish the "mechanism of the derailment".

It stated: "It will review the history of the points concerned and work that was carried out on them in the days before the accident, the competence and fitness of the maintenance staff, and the organisation and resourcing of infrastructure maintenance in the Edinburgh area."

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "We are working with the RAIB to investigate the incident and are also reviewing previous maintenance work carried out on this set of points. All other points in the area have been checked and found to be in good condition."

A Network Rail source told The Scotsman the way in which the points had been maintained, rather than how often, was the focus of the investigation.

The source said: Excessive wear doesn't mean the points have been overused because sometimes, when you are working on points and you are maintaining them, you will grind the rail and change the profile of the rail head.

"It might be the last time the points have been worked on, the work has not been properly carried out."

Following the derailment, cross-Border trains to Carlisle and the south via the west coast main line had to be diverted via the South Suburban line, which runs through Newington and Morningside - a line normally used by coal and other freight trains.