A TRAIN that derailed in Barry earlier this month came off the tracks due to a faulty rail at Porthkerry.

At about 2.30pm on Thursday, October 2,two wagons from a freight train carrying coal to Aberthaw power station from Avonmouth came off the tracks and caused damage to the line over a distance of approximately 80 metres.

The driver was uninjured in the accident but damages to the track caused several days of severe delays to people travelling between Barry and Bridgend when the line was closed for three days and a replacement bus service was put in place.

A preliminary examination by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) discovered that the derailment was almost certainly caused by a defective rail which collapsed as the freight train passed over it.

The RAIB’s investigation will now examine the sequence of events leading up to the accident and the cause of the rail failure.

This will include consideration of the design, inspection and maintenance of the track. It will also examine what was known about the condition of the rail prior to the derailment and the adequacy of any plans that were in place to manage the risk of the rail failing.

The RAIB will publish its findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of its investigation. This report will be available on the RAIB website.