Passengers raised alarm the day before faulty track derailed a train killing 7, judge reveals

A judge due to hear evidence about the crash at Potters Bar, Hertfordshire, in May 2002 said two people made three separate reports about "rough rides".

One report had been "forgotten", another had been misinterpreted and on the third occasion a train manager had not responded to a passenger's concerns, Judge Michael Findlay Baker QC told jurors at the inquest in Letchworth, Hertfordshire.

Checks had been carried out on the approach to Potters Bar station hours before the crash - but on the wrong line, said Judge Baker.

A jury of eight women and three men heard Judge Baker give a detailed outline of facts today. Jurors are due to begin hearing evidence tomorrow.

Judge Baker said passenger Terrence Moore - a rail worker - became concerned about "movement" as a train crossed points on the approach to Potters Bar at around 9pm on May 9 2002 - about 16 hours before the crash.

Mr Moore - a station announcer travelling north from King's Cross to Stevenage - reported his concerns to a member of staff at the ticket office when he arrived at Stevenage.

The judge said the member of staff had been "busy" and did not log the report.

"He forgot," said the judge. "In short, he did nothing."

Mr Moore had then reported his concerns to a manager in the King's Cross signal box.

But the manager had thought Mr Moore was talking about the southbound line - not the northbound, said the judge.

Safety checks had been carried out on the southbound line and nothing untoward was noticed, jurors were told.

Judge Baker said Peter Prime - a passenger travelling north through Potters Bar at around 8.30pm on May 9 - had also experienced a "rough ride" on the approach to the station.

Mr Prime had been "sufficiently alarmed" to speak to a buffet car steward, said the judge. The steward promised to pass the report to a train manager but Mr Prime had no response.

The judge said other passengers had come forward after the crash to report rough rides on the approach to Potters Bar prior to the derailment.

Six passengers - Austen Kark, Emma Knights, Jonael Schickler, Alexander Ogunwusi, Chia Hsin Lin and Chia Chin Wu - and pedestrian Agnes Quinlivan died after the train derailed at Potters Bar, jurors were told.

The inquest is expected to last about three months, the judge said.