HC Deb 02 February 1966 vol 723 cc232-3W
83. Mr. Box

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will hold a special inquiry into the causes of recent railway accidents on the Western Region of British Railways.

90 and 91. Mr. Neave

asked the Minister of Transport (1) what action the Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways has taken to inquire into the derailment of freight trains at Didcot on 1st January, Uffington on 7th January and Steventon on 21st January, which resulted in delays to traffic between Paddington and South Wales; and whether she will make a statement;

(2) if she will give a general direction, in the public interest, to the British Railways Board to publish the results of inquiries held by regions into derailments of freight trains which have caused various delays to rail traffic on main lines;

(3) whether she will make a statement on the recent derailments to passenger and freight trains on the Western Region of British Railways.

Mrs. Castle

A formal inquiry has been held into the derailment of the passenger train near Reading on 28th December last and I have ordered one to be held into the derailment of the freight train at Steventon on 21st January. I do not propose to order inquiries into other recent derailments on the Western Region since these are not distinguished by any special features. A detailed report on each derailment of importance will be made to the chief inspecting officer who will decide, after careful consideration what further action, if any, is necessary. It would not be appropriate to direct the British Railways Board to publish the results of its domestic inquiries. The report of my chief inspecting officer's inquiry will, of course, be published.

Sir E. Brown

asked the Minister of Transport whether she will reconsider her decision not to hold an inquiry into recent derailments on the Western Region following a further derailment at Bath.

Mrs. Castle

No. The derailment at Bath on 27th January occurred during shunting movements. There is no common feature between its cause and the causes of the main line train derailments, and it is not of the type that has to be reported to my Department.

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