The RMT have gained information indicating that there were no less than five contractors operating at the Scout Green access point on Sunday morning, the site of the accident which killed four railworkers. They were Carillon, MDA Rail, Macrail, McGinley's and Jarvis. They also say that the trolley which killed the men was on the main line and not on a sidings and was detached from a road-rail crane to enable the crane to unload it.
Instead of proper brakes holding the trolley in place, two two-inch blocks of wood were placed beneath its wheels to stop it moving. Loading had just started when the trolley crushed the wood and careered downhill. This was reported to Control. The workers up the hill were not aware that there were workers on the line 3.25 miles downhill. According to our information there should have been someone in a supervisory capacity who would have known about the workers further up the line. They may not have had time or the ability to warn them by mobile phone.
The RMT are 100% right to call for a full public enquiry to establish all the facts and to examine safety management across the whole of the British railways.
