New derailment fear on Central line

Central line trains are involved in a dramatic new scare over passenger safety.

Parts of a gearbox - like the one that caused January's Chancery Lane crash - broke free from its mountings, smashed onto the track and could have caused a derailment.

A highly confidential report, seen by the Evening Standard, confirms that more than half the line's 75-strong fleet have still not had their gearboxes overhauled - despite January's crash, when a gearbox seized and caused a half-ton motor to break free. The line is used by more than 670,000 passengers a day.

Gearbox failures are happening at two a month, reveals report author Ken Maynard, project engineer for the Central, Victoria and Bakerloo lines. Of the latest incident, the report states the gearbox "was broken in half" near Newbury Park. The vibration loosened the special new "Rotabolts", fitted after the Chancery Lane derailment.

Mr Maynard's report states there have been "three definite and one possible gear case failures in the last two months", and failures to bearings are averaging at one a month. It adds that all recent failures "are associated with old bearings".

The gearbox of the Chancery Lane train had not been overhauled for 10 years. The maker's instruction is that they should be overhauled every four and a half years. The gearbox involved in the latest problem was also overdue.

One source connected with the maintenance programme said: "London Underground promised the trains would be made fully safe before being returned to service. But, with gearboxes still failing, that was just a whitewash."

Steve Grant, London secretary of Aslef, the train drivers' union, said: "Some gearboxes are well past their overhaul date. If LU has not overhauled them and changed the bearings, then why are they allowing them to run?"

He said either LU was displaying "general incompetence" or it was under Government " pressure" to keep the trains running. There is a row over who should pay - the taxpayer, through LU, or Metronet, the private sector consortium now responsible.

Tom Brake, London Liberal Democrat spokesman, said: "LU's maintenance programme must be beyond reproach."

Cynthia Hay of pressure group Capital Transport, asked: "Has LU learned nothing? Passengers have every right to be alarmed."

An LU spokesman said: " Central line trains are safe." Of the latest incident he said: "The motor did not fall off. The gearbox was found to have failed." He said new brackets holding the motors - installed on every train following the derailment - had worked, adding: "We are working towards a long-term solution."

But it is considered that the axles particular to Central line trains are at fault and a few at a time will have to be withdrawn again for work to take place.