Margam rail deaths - Network Rail safety failings blamed

Two workers were killed by a train in Margam because of "long-term" safety failures by Network Rail bosses.

Gareth Delbridge, 64, and Michael Lewis, 58, were wearing ear defenders and could not hear the 50mph train coming when they were killed.

A third worker also came "very close" to being hit by the Swansea to Paddington train in July 2019.

The Rail Accident Investigations Branch said the deaths were due in part to Network Rail's "long-term failure to improve the safety of people working on the railway."

It said: "Over a period of many years, Network Rail had not adequately addressed the protection of track workers from moving trains," it said.

"The major changes required to fully implement significant changes to the standard governing track worker safety were not effectively implemented across Network Rail's maintenance organisation."

The men were struck at Margam, Port Talbot, when no lookouts had formally been appointed to warn of oncoming trains.

In a previous report the RAIB said: "All three workers were almost certainly wearing ear defenders, because one of them was using a noisy power tool, and all had become focused with the task they were undertaking.

"None of them was aware that a train was approaching them until it was too late to move to a position of safety."

Mr Delbridge and Mr Lewis, both from the Bridgend area, were killed instantly.

First Great Western and Network Rail are also carrying out their own investigation and British Transport Police is also looking into the tragedy.

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• Network Rail
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