The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) today released its report into an accident involving a derailment at Marks Tey, Essex, on 12 June 2008.
A full copy of the report is available here:
Summary
At 14:05 hrs on 12 June 2008, the 08:05 hrs Daventry to Felixstowe service, operated by Freightliner, derailed as it passed through Marks Tey junction, located on Network Rail’s Great Eastern Mainline. The train ran for approximately a further 2.4 km before it came to a halt. The route was completely closed to traffic for three hours, after which a single line was re-opened, with both lines being fully reopened the following morning.
The immediate cause of the accident was that a wagon wheelset climbed over the rail as the wagon ran through Marks Tey junction. The RAIB identified that this was because of:
- the presence of a defect in the track introduced by repair work on 6/7 June, combined with another, pre-existing, track defect;
- the absence of an effective inspection of this repair, after it had been completed;
- deficiencies in the briefing and planning of track repairs and inspections of the line;
- the difficulty which track engineering staff had in gaining access to Marks Tey junction to inspect the line, and the absence of any action to address this;
- the lack of knowledge by track engineering staff of a plan put in place to address the causes of a previous incident at this location and the absence of any system with Network Rail which would have prompted this plan to have been reviewed;
- the absence of effective investigation and resolution of long-standing repeated track defects at the junction;
- poor communication between track engineering staff, and a lack of clarity regarding the responsibilities of supervisory staff;
- the absence of effective drainage, drainage records and drainage inspection at the junction; and
- the permitted speed of the train, and its interaction with the dynamic performance of the type of wagon which derailed.
Recommendations
Some of the factors relevant to this accident were the subject of recommendations arising from previous RAIB investigations into derailments. These recommendations, and the status of the actions taken by the railway industry to implement them, are detailed in the report. However, the RAIB has made seven new recommendations, which concern:
- The management and performance of staff carrying out track maintenance at Network Rail’s Colchester depot;
- Network Rail’s standards and procedures for track inspection and maintenance, drainage inspection, and actions following track defects: and
- Reducing the risk of derailment of the wagon type involved on typical Network Rail track profiles.
In January 2009 the safety authority (the Office of Rail Regulation) took enforcement action requiring Network Rail to improve the inspection and maintenance of drainage throughout their Anglia territory. Network Rail had complied with these requirements by mid-September 2009.
Notes to editors
1. The sole purpose of RAIB investigations is to prevent future accidents and incidents and improve railway safety. The RAIB does not establish blame, liability or carry out prosecutions.
2. For media enquiries, please call 020 7944 3248.
Newsdate: 14 January 2010
