Points fault causes King’s Cross derailment
Rail services in and out of King’s Cross station were severely disrupted on Tuesday after a train derailed.
The 0700 King’s Cross to Glasgow GNER train derailed travelling at 15 miles per hour whilst leaving platform four this morning.
It later emerged that the derailment of the high-speed train was caused by a faulty set of points that had not been properly reset after maintenance work carried out the night before
The engine and the first carriage of the train derailed but remained upright. The driver had spotted the fault and attempted to stop when the derailment occurred.
Network Rail said that the passengers have suffered no injuries but there is damage to both the train and the track.
Chief executive of Network Rail John Armitt said he was “furious” the derailment had overshadowed the opening of new Channel Tunnel rail link.
Maintenance contractors Jarvis Rail, currently being investigated in connection with the Potter’s Bar rail disaster, had been carrying out overnight engineering work on the stretch of track concerned.
The company confirmed the points should have been left so trains would continue straight ahead but staff had “neglected” to reset them.
Jarvis announced that it was carrying out an investigation into the incident.
The British Transport Police and the Health and Safety Executive are carrying out an investigation into the incident, and assessment is being undertaken to see how long it will take to repair the damage.
An emergency timetable is in operation with one train an hour running to both Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Bob Crow, general secretary of the RMT union, which represents railways workers, commented, “How many more incidents like this do we need before the government bows to the inevitable and brings control of our railways back into the public sector where it belongs?
“The private sector has failed the railways and everyone knows it, and it is time to put safety ahead of profit. The government has the mechanisms in place to bring all railway maintenance and train operations back in house.”
