AN investigation into a freight train crash that shut a line for six days has revealed rail bosses were warned that the track was “twisted”, “deteriorating” and in “exceptionally bad condition” shortly before the crash. 

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) today (Wednesday) published a forensically detailed, 69-page report on the causes of the derailment and cargo spill near Camden Road North London Line station in October 2013.

A rear cargo wagon derailed in Primrose Hill and continued for a kilometre before crashing and tipping a 40ft container through a brick wall, sending masonry toppling from a bridge into Camden Gardens.

The RAIB report said that in May 2013 an inspection found track was “in exceptionally poor condition following heavy maintenance”. In August, another inspection reported: “It is difficult to express on paper how poor and deteriorating the patrol [train section] is.”

On September 26, a third inspection said the “the entire patrol is in very poor condition”.

Despite this, nothing was done. RAIB said it had concerns about a “culture of firefighting” at Network Rail. It recommended that Network Rail give “particular attention to the possible consequences of a high turnover of responsible staff with detailed local knowledge of the infrastructure”.

The report added: “There was insufficient awareness of the ongoing poor condition and classification of the North London lines among the managers. Improving the condition of the North London lines did not have a high priority.”

The report identified a series of contributory factors, including the way scrap metal cargo was loaded at a depot in Birmingham, a lack of a “check rail” and a possible failure of a track lubricating system which is supposed to grease key bends in the railway line. 

A Network Rail spokesman said: “We will study the recommendations made and will take any action required. Incidents such as this are incredibly rare.”