Network Rail Infrastructure Limited (Network Rail) and Amey Rail have been fined a total of £500,000 and ordered to pay £39,429 costs at the Old Bailey after they pleaded guilty to causing a major train derailment in South West London almost four years ago.

The derailment happened on 24 November 2002 when a First Great Western Train travelling from Swansea to Paddington at approximately 120 mph derailed shortly after it passed through a set of points close to Southall station. The train remained upright but travelled a further 2 miles passing an oncoming High Speed Train, through Hanwell station, and over a viaduct before coming to a halt. There were no injuries to the 450 passengers on board.

The cause of the derailment was poor maintenance of the area around the points and the presence of a fractured piece of a track joining plate, known as a ‘fishplate’, which had become dislodged.

Network Rail, then operating as Railtrack, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in that it failed to discharge the duty imposed by section 3(1) of that Act. Network Rail failed to maintain the mainline railway line in such a way as to ensure that persons not in their employment, including railway workers and passengers, were not exposed to risks to their health and safety, contrary to section 33(1) of that Act. Network Rail was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay £19,714.50 costs. 

Amey Rail pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in that it failed to discharge the duty imposed by section 3(1) of that Act. Amey Rail failed to maintain the mainline railway line in such a way as to ensure that persons not in their employment, including railway workers and passengers, were not exposed to risks to their health and safety, contrary to section 33(1)(a) of that Act. Amey Rail was fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £19,714.50 costs.

David Morris, Her Majesty’s Deputy Chief Inspector of Railways, said after the court case: “This derailment could have caused a major catastrophe. It illustrates the importance of ensuring that railway tracks are properly maintained to a high standard. I am pleased that Network Rail has worked hard at improving the quality of track maintenance since the events at Southall. They know they must never relax their vigilance.”