Mile End enquiry and Metronet resolution still miles away

Shortly after 09:00 hrs on 5th July 2007 a westbound Central Line train in the tunnel between Mile End and Bethnal Green hit a tarpaulin on the line. Five axles of the train derailed.

Over eight hundred passengers were evacuated from the train in the accident and the one following, (in temperatures up to 100 F). A small number of minor injuries and one more serious injuries resulted not from the accident but during the evacuation of the passengers along the tunnel - which took over two hours. Eleven peope attended hospital. The train, track and signalling equipment all suffered damage.

On Wednesday, September 05, 2007 Lord Patel pointed out that the report into the events that day were still awaited. Metronet - CMT - Tube safety, PPP disaster and emergency services .. questions after Mile End still to be answered

A litle bird inside Rail Accident Investigation Branch , Geoff Thorne who is the Lead Inspector - Mile End Derailment tells me that ..

The investigation into this incident is now complete except for one test on the leading car of a Central Line Train. This is being planned for the near future. This test will confirm that the derailment mechanism is correctly understood.

The report is currently undergoing final drafting after which it will be subject to a number of internal checks. The draft report will then be sent out for the mandatory consultation with the industry parties concened. This is likely to take three weeks. Provided that no issues arise that require some further investigation or a further review of the evidence, then a publication date of mid November appears likely.

Meanwhile the funding / take over / nationalisation of Metronet becomes no clearer - Dan Milmo writing recently in the Guradian about administrator Alan Bloom's attempt to drum up some private bidders has been scuppered by disagreements about indebtedness between Transport for London (TfL) and Metronet prior to administration.

TfL has provided emergency funding of up to £900m to allow Metronet to carry out its tasks while in administration. TfL has admitted that it does not have £900m "lying around in Tim O'Toole's sock drawer" and will (surprise, surprise ) need the government to plug the funding gap.

No doubt any decision taking will be left until the election is over...because if Mr Cameron and his Oxford drinking chum Boris have no idea what to do about this fucking PPP scandal, neither have the Scottish Tweedledum and Tweedledee at Nos 10 & 11.