§ 63. Mr. Speedasked the Minister of Transport what have been the results of the recent inquiry into derailments on 27W stretches of continuous welded rail track; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. MulleyThe Report on the Inquiry into two derailments on buckled track at Berkhamsted and Auchencastle last year was published on 7th October, 1969. The most recent Inquiry into a derailment on continuous-welded track is that of the derailment on 13th June, 1969, of an express passenger train near Somerton, which is also covering the derailment of another passenger train at Sandy and of an empty carflat train at Lichfield. The Inquiry is also examining the whole question of the design, laying and maintenance of continuous-welded rail track on British Railways.
Nothing in the investigation so far has cast doubt on the basic soundness of continuous-welded rail track, but it has shown that some reconsideration is needed of the detailed design data and laying techniques for this type of track. Certain measures to improve track stability are already being taken by the Railways Board.
§ Mr. Speedasked the Minister of Transport if he will list the total number of derailments on British Rail for the first nine months of this year, showing the respective figures for passenger and freight trains; and if he will list the comparable figures for the same period over the last five years.
§ Mr. MulleyThe provisional figures for reportable derailments of passenger
Winter Summer Week ended 22nd January, 1967 7th May, 1967 30th March, 1969 31st July, 1966 13th August,1967 1st September,1968 Monday-Friday (average) 1,350 1,604 1,426 1,896 2,611 2,632 Saturday … … 1,210 1,436 1,357 2,260 3,081 4,006* Sunday … … 772 1,026 684 1,462 1,449 1,544* * Bank holiday weekend. The present annual deficit exceeds £300,000 and even if the track were singled, which would require considerable capital expenditure, the deficit was estimated to exceed £200,000. There was no evidence of population increases in the area likely to lead to significant changes in this pattern of usage and costs.
28Wand goods trains on British Railways during the first nine months of 1969 are 17 and 292 respectively, making a total of 309.
The comparable figures for the same period over the past five years are as follows:
Year Passenger Trains Goods Trains Total 1968 24 227 251 1967 20 203 223 1966 17 183 200 1965 18 155 173 1964 23 159 182 The figures for goods trains include the derailment of empty coaching stock, light locomotives and special vehicles such as self-propelled track maintenance machines, mobile cranes, etc.