On The Line

Delude • Retreat • Indemnify • Prevaricate • Squander

We hear endless stories about the entangled politics of the railway, the latest strategic 'vision' and those boardroom suits who earn toe-curling bonuses.

But there are real people at the heart of our industry, making it function. This page brings together stories about those who work on or near the line.

Previous stories

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2009

2008

December

	Court date for crash firms 29th December 2010 (BBC News) Network Rail and a maintenance company will appear in court in February to face health and safety charges over the 2002 Potters Bar train crash.
	Tribunal rules against near miss man 1st December 2010 (Press & Journal) A Highland railway worker who caused a near miss between a train and a road-rail vehicle, and then tried to cover up his mistake, has failed to win his job back.

November

Network Rail and Jarvis face charges
10th November 2010 (The Financial Times)
Regulators have started a prosecution over the fatal Potters Bar crash more than eight years ago in which six passengers were killed.

October

	Tribunal hears of communicatons breakdown 13th October 2010 (The Press & Journal) A collision causing “multiple fatalities” could have resulted from a rail worker’s gross misconduct, it has been claimed at a tribunal in Inverness.
	Independent review of NR's safety culture 4th October 2010 (The Guardian) Network Rail has agreed to an independent review of how it reports accidents following allegations of under-reporting.

September

	Checks called after rail death 30th September 2010 (BBC News) A coroner has called for new safety checks after hearing how an Essex rail worker was fatally injured when a "poorly welded" basket fell on him.
	Whistle blown on crossing inspections 14th September 2010 (The Guardian) HMRI is examining a dossier compiled by an industry insider that suggests some safety data in the East Anglia region has been faked for up to three years.
	RIDDOR failings boost bonus levels 7th September 2010 (Daily Telegraph) Network Rail directors pocketed bigger awards than they should have done this year because trackworker accidents were under-reported, it is alleged.

August

	Worker dismissed for falsifying records 31st August 2010 (BBC News) A Network Rail employee has been sacked for deliberately falsifying records over the inspection of level crossings in the Anglia area.
	Another Cumbrian runaway 20th August 2010 (BBC News) There has been another incident involving a runaway train in an area where four men were killed by a trolley six years ago.

July

	Guard dies after being hit by train 29th July 2010 (Lancashire Evening Post) A guard has been killed after falling from his train and then being hit by a unit on the adjacent line between Preston and Leyland stations.
	Hydrex man injured by roadrailer 21st July 2010 (Highland News) A rail worker was injured after his vehicle collided with a goods train in Inverness.

May

	Appeal court upholds fine 26th May 2010 (Lancashire Telegraph) Network Rail has failed in an Appeal Court bid to reduce a £667,666 fine imposed after two railwaymen were struck and killed by a roadrailer.
	Near miss COSS made 'scapegoat' 24th May 2010 (News & Star) A Carlisle trackworker claims he was “used as a scapegoat” for a near miss that almost saw a colleague hit by a 105mph Virgin train.

April

70 foot fall kills rail worker
16th April 2010 (Kilmarnock Standard)
A railway worker has died after plunging 70ft from a cherrypicker while inspecting a viaduct.

March

Network Rail worker hit by train
30th March 2010 (Hertfordshire Mercury)
A maintenance worker in his fifties has been airlifted to hospital with life threatening injuries after being hit by a train at Cheshunt.

February

	Trackworker injured on ECML 22nd February 2010 (BBC News) Network Rail said a trackworker was hurt during track renewal work at Hitchin.
	Jail for drunk train driver 22nd February 2010 (BBC News) A train driver who drank a bottle of whisky while on duty has been jailed for 135 days, raising "disturbing questions" about the monitoring of train drivers.
	Prohibition notice over safety fears 17th February 2010 (People Management) Planned staff cuts at Network Rail have been called into question after a railway inspector set out safety concerns over current working practices.

January

Workers die in falls from rail bridges
28th January 2010 (BBC News)
Two workmen have died within hours of each other in separate falls from two of Scotland's greatest railway bridges.

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