Network Rail sues rail companies over £5m Llangennech derailment

Network Rail has filed a High Court claim seeking more than £5 million in damages from DB Cargo UK and Touax Rail following a 2020 freight train derailment near Llangennech, Wales.

The incident, which occurred in August 2020, resulted in the derailment of 10 wagons from a 25-wagon train. This caused approximately 446,000 litres of fuel to spill; 116,000 litres ignited in a blaze that required two days to extinguish, while 330,000 litres drained into surrounding wetlands. The spill threatened a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Special Area of Conservation.

Network Rail alleges that Touax Rail failed to maintain the wagon with reasonable care and is seeking damages for negligence. Additionally, the claim against DB Cargo UK asserts a breach of contractual duty regarding the maintenance of the wagon. A 2022 investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) attributed the derailment to a locking wheel caused by a brake defect stemming from inadequate maintenance practices.