Amec and Network Rail fined for derailment

Amec Rail and Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (NRIL) have been fined a total of £70,000 at a sentencing hearing at Southwark Crown Court. The case followed an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) into the derailment of a passenger train outside West Sutton station in Surrey in 2001.

On the evening of 9 October 2001, the seventh coach of an eight-coach Thameslink passenger train derailed both bogies shortly after leaving West Sutton station at about 6.30pm. The train was travelling within permitted line speed, which was 30mph, and an examination of it did not reveal any faults that could have caused the derailment.

At that time Railtrack (now NRIL) was the infrastructure controller and Amec Rail was the infrastructure maintenance controller for the area. HSE's investigations revealed that the cause of the derailment was the condition of the track.

HSE inspector Steve Turner, who investigated the derailment, said: "This was a relatively low speed derailment which happily did not result in any injuries. The investigation revealed that the immediate cause of the derailment was 'gauge spread', that is when the track under the train widens and causes the train wheels to drop in between the rails. Gauge spread can occur over time and it is well known in the rail industry that, if it persists uncorrected, it will result in derailment. Both companies had a duty under the law to ensure that the track was inspected, maintained and repaired; all of which would have picked up this fault and prevented the derailment from happening. Network Rail's new arrangements for managing track maintenance should ensure that a similar incident is less likely to occur."

NRIL and Amec Rail each pleaded guilty at earlier hearings to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. NRIL was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs to HSE of £12,500. Amec Rail was fined £40,000 and ordered to pay costs to HSE of £17,500.