30-667: John Swift may refer to: John Swift (barrister) (born 1940), English barrister and Queen's Counsel John Swift (cricketer) (1852–1926), Australian first-class cricketer and Test match umpire John Swift (footballer, born 1984) , English footballer for Bradford City John Swift (footballer, born 1995) , English footballer for West Bromwich Albion John Swift (general) (1761–1814), American military officer John Swift (politician) (1790–1873), American lawyer and politician John Swift (trade unionist) (1896–1990), Irish trade union leader John E. Swift (1879–1967), American judge and
60-497: A consequence of the recommendations in the investigation report. It provides a focus for individuals and organisations involved in rail welding and facilitates the adoption of best practice. The aftermath of the crash had long-reaching repercussions in the rail industry. In 2015, at the fifteenth anniversary of the accident, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said a new system for handling maintenance introduced by Network Rail
90-469: A critical size, the rail fails. Portions of the failed track at Hatfield were reassembled and numerous fatigue cracks were identified. They contributed to the spalling of the running surface to around five millimetres (0.2 in) deep and 100 millimetres (3.9 in) long. The problem was known about before the accident; a letter from the infrastructure company Railtrack in December 1999 warned that
120-501: A further 20 years, finally being scrapped at Sims Metals Scrapyard in Nottingham in 2021. As a result of its involvement in both accidents, it had gained the unofficial nickname 'Lucky'. In 2003, five managers and two companies – Network Rail (as successors of Railtrack) and the division of Balfour Beatty that maintained the track – were charged with manslaughter and breach of health and safety charges in connection with
150-441: A majority of the national network for more than a year. The disruption and Railtrack's spiralling costs eventually caused the company to enter administration at the insistence of Transport Secretary Stephen Byers , and its replacement by the not-for-dividend company Network Rail under Byers's successor Alistair Darling . Train operating companies were adversely affected by the disruption, losing an estimated 19% of revenue in
180-538: A panel member of the Co-operation and Competition Panel established by the Department of Health to administer the principles and rules for co-operation and competition for NHS funded services. In April 2014, Ofgem announced Swift's appointment as the chairman of its new Enforcement Decision Panel. In its press release at the time, Ofgem said: "The Enforcement Decision Panel will bring a wealth of experience to
210-523: A slight which some observers deprecated as unnecessary and inappropriate, given his long and distinguished service to competition law and industry reorganisation and privatisation. Swift returned to private practice at the Bar, and became head of Monckton Chambers, a leading set of competition law chambers , until July 2001. He was in full-time practice as a member of Monckton Chambers from 1967 to 1992 and from January 1999 until July 2013. In 2009, Swift became
240-557: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages John Swift (barrister) John Swift KC is an English barrister and a leading authority on competition law . Born on 11 July 1940, he was called to the English bar in 1965 and took silk (became a Queen's Counsel) in 1981. He became a Bencher of the Inner Temple in 1992. From 1 December 1993 until 30 November 1998, Swift
270-493: The Hatfield rail crash on 17 October 2000, caused by a broken rail, Railtrack collapsed in highly controversial circumstances which led, eventually, to the resignation as Transport Secretary of Stephen Byers , Prescott's successor. Swift's role and behaviour were critical to the successful privatisation of Railtrack and the rest of the industry. If he had been hostile to the process, it would not have been completed. Upon
300-530: The accident. The managers, Anthony Walker (Balfour Beatty's rail maintenance director), Nicholas Jeffries (its civil engineer ), Railtrack's Alistair Cook and Sean Fugill (asset managers for the London North-East zone), and track engineer Keith Lee, all denied the charges. The corporate manslaughter charges against Railtrack/Network Rail and some of its executives were dropped in September 2004, but
330-548: The change of British government on 2 May 1997, Swift's chances of being reappointed as Rail Regulator diminished, and when Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott MP announced at the September 1998 Labour Party conference that he intended to carry out a 'spring clean of the regulators', Swift knew his days were numbered. He was succeeded as Rail Regulator by Chris Bolt (December 1998 – July 1999) and then by Tom Winsor (July 1999 – July 2004). Swift received no national honour or recognition for his public service as Rail Regulator,
SECTION 10
#1732801304940360-452: The existing Railtrack Line Specification was insufficient to guard against this type of fatigue. Replacement rails were made available but never delivered to the correct location for installation. Since privatisation, Railtrack had divested the engineering knowledge of British Rail to contractors. While it had comprehensive maintenance procedures that might have prevented the accident if followed appropriately, later investigation showed there
390-523: The locomotive in the crash was also involved in the Selby rail crash (where the leading DVT hit a road vehicle on the track) four months later. A preliminary investigation found a rail had fragmented as trains passed and that the likely cause was " rolling contact fatigue " (defined as multiple surface-breaking cracks). Such cracks are caused by high loads where the wheels contact the rail. Repeated high loading causes fatigue cracks to grow. When they reach
420-568: The network could lead to a similar accident. It consequently imposed over 1,800 emergency speed restrictions and instigated a costly nationwide track replacement programme. The company was subject to "enforcement" by the Rail Regulator , Tom Winsor . In 2004, Steve Arthur's widow was awarded £1 million damages in the High Court . The families of the other three fatal casualties received damages out of court. A memorial service
450-669: The ninth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus John Franklin Swift (1829–1891), Republican member of the California State Assembly in the 19th century John H. Swift (1840–1911), Irish-American manufacturer and politician John Swift, a party in Swift v. Tyson , 41 U.S. (16 Pet.) 1 (1842) See also [ edit ] Jonathan Swift (1667–1745), Anglo-Irish writer [REDACTED] Topics referred to by
480-564: The other charges stood. The trial began in January 2005; the judge, Mr Justice Mackay, warned that it could go on for a year. On 14 July, the judge instructed the jury to acquit all defendants on charges of manslaughter. A few days later, Balfour Beatty changed its plea to guilty on the health and safety charges, and on 6 September, Network Rail was found guilty of breaching health and safety law. Network Rail were fined £3.5 million while Balfour Beatty were fined £10 million. All of
510-526: The privatisation was the June 1996 flotation on the London stock exchange of Railtrack , the owner and operator of the national railway infrastructure network. Railtrack was severely criticised for its poor stewardship of the national railway network, and some observers also criticised Swift for what some saw as an excessively light touch in regulating a company which was malfunctioning in many ways. A year after
540-404: The same term This disambiguation page lists articles about people with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=John_Swift&oldid=1101144053 " Category : Human name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
570-510: The table and help Ofgem as we continue in our role to protect current and future consumers". In the same month, Monitor, the health service regulator, following the dissolution of the Co-operation and Competition Panel, of which Swift had been a member since 2009, continued his appointment in a new role as an expert adviser of the Board of Monitor and to its Co-operation and Competition Executive. Hatfield rail crash The Hatfield rail crash
600-487: The train passed over it. The train travelled a further 1,000 yards (910 m) after derailment. The leading locomotive and the first two coaches remained upright and on the rails. All of the following coaches and the trailing Driving Van Trailer (DVT) were derailed, and the train set separated into three sections. The restaurant coach, the eighth vehicle in the set, overturned onto its side and struck an overhead line gantry after derailing, resulting in severe damage to
630-423: The vehicle. The whole incident occurred in 17 seconds. Four passengers died in the accident and a further 33 were initially reported as injured, three seriously. The number of injured was later revised to over 70. Those who died were all in the restaurant coach: Two of those seriously injured were GNER staff working in the restaurant coach at the time of the accident. Emmerdale actress Anna Brecon
SECTION 20
#1732801304940660-401: The year following the crash. Freight operator EWS was cancelling up to 400 trains per week as a result, whilst estimates put Freightliner 's resultant losses at £1 million per month. The cost to the entire UK economy of the disruption was estimated at £6 million per day. The Institute of Rail Welding (IoRW) was set up in 2002 by The Welding Institute (TWI) and Network Rail as
690-539: Was Rail Regulator and International Rail Regulator , having been appointed to those posts by Conservative politician and Secretary of State for Transport John MacGregor . In that time, the structure of the British railway industry was radically altered in preparation for privatisation, using powers under the Railways Act 1993 . The industry was privatised in the period 1995–1997. The most controversial part of
720-462: Was a railway accident on 17 October 2000, at Hatfield, Hertfordshire . It was caused by a metal fatigue -induced derailment , killing four people and injuring more than 70. The accident exposed major stewardship shortcomings of the privatised national railway infrastructure company Railtrack . Reports found there was a lack of communication and some staff were not aware of maintenance procedures. Railtrack subsequently went into administration and
750-594: Was a serious problem with the experience and working knowledge of staff. In a subsequent interview, the Zone Quality Standards Manager said, "I do not have knowledge of railway engineering nor railway safety", which was completely contrary to the written requirements for the role. In May 1999, the Head of Track had said that insufficiently-skilled work was causing more rails to break. Railtrack did not know how many other cases of rail fatigue around
780-491: Was confusing, and there was the potential for a similar accident. The union's general secretary said that Network Rail needed to act on its concerns, otherwise there would be industrial action . The Class 91 powering the train involved in the Hatfield rail crash would later be involved in the Selby rail crash four months later, sustaining minor damage. It was repaired again following the accident, and remained in service for
810-454: Was held for the victims on the tenth anniversary of the crash in 2010 at St Etheldreda's Church, Hatfield . A second service was held near the crash site afterwards. Both were conducted by the Rector of Hatfield, who had attended to casualties and the bereaved in the immediate aftermath of the accident in 2000. The speed restrictions and track replacement works caused significant disruption on
840-474: Was replaced by Network Rail . The aftermath of the accident saw widespread speed limit reductions throughout the rail network and a tightening of health and safety procedures, the repercussions of which were still felt years later. In 2005, both Railtrack and the contractor Balfour Beatty were found guilty of breaching health and safety laws. A Great North Eastern Railway (GNER) InterCity 225 train bound for Leeds had left London King's Cross at 12:10, and
870-501: Was travelling along the East Coast Main Line at approximately 115 mph (185 km/h) when it derailed south of Hatfield station at 12:23. The train was in the control of an experienced driver trainer accompanied by a trainee driver. It had been agreed at Kings Cross that the trainee would drive the 12:10 service to Leeds. The primary cause of the accident was later determined to be the left-hand rail fracturing as
900-530: Was travelling on the train, and suffered minor cuts and bruises. Another passenger was the television reporter Justin Rowlatt , who said he "watched the carriages skid and whip around on the gravel besides the track". Crash investigators found the British Rail -designed Mark 4 coaches had good structural integrity and, aside from the restaurant coach, remained intact after the accident. Coincidentally,
#939060