Media correction: Passenger train derailment near Carmont (2)

Modern Railways – ‘Constraints needed for accident investigation closures’

Background

The November 2020 edition of Modern Railways published an article about the timing of the reopening of the line following the derailment at Carmont (‘Constraints needed for accident investigation closures’).

The article

The article contained three incorrect statements:

1. The article stated that the lifting of the wreckage was delayed for three weeks by investigation activities.

2. The caption that accompanied the picture of two RAIB inspectors photographing a bogie stated that RAIB’s inspectors were being ‘supervised’ by the police.

3. The article also reports as fact an RAIB instruction to remove the catchpits and implies this was a cause of delay.

Action taken

The Chief Inspector of RAIB contacted the journalist concerned to provide the following clarifications:

1. It was incorrect to say that the lifting of the wreckage was delayed for three weeks by investigation activities. Lifting operations could only start once an access road and lifting pad had been built, and the road crane moved into position, in accordance with Network Rail’s site recovery plan.

2. RAIB’s inspectors were given free access to the site and required no supervision by the police since they were working in accordance with their own legal powers.

3. Network Rail has since confirmed that the immediate removal of catchpits was not instructed by RAIB.

The outcome

The December 2020 edition of Modern Railways includes an article (‘Carmont: The aftermath’) which has corrected the three statements listed above.