HM Railway Inspectorate
| Non-ministerial government department overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1840 |
| Dissolved | 1 May 2009 |
| Superseding agency | |
| Jurisdiction | Great Britain |
| Headquarters | 1 Kemble Street, London, WC2B 4AN |
| Non-ministerial government department executive |
|
| Website | www |
Established in 1840, HM Railway Inspectorate (HMRI: Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate) is the British organisation responsible for overseeing safety on Britain's railways and tramways. Previously a separate non-departmental public body it was, from 1990 to April 2006, part of the Health and Safety Executive, then was transferred to the Office of Rail and Road and finally ceased to exist in May 2009 when it was renamed the Safety Directorate. However, in the Summer of 2015 its name has been re-established as the safety arm of ORR. August 2015 being the 175th anniversary of its founding.
The body originated in 1840, as a result of the Railway Regulation Act 1840, when Inspecting Officers of Railways were first appointed by the Board of Trade (BoT). Britain's railways at that time were large monopolistic private companies, so the BoT was concerned with competition and the safety of the public. The Railway Inspectorate was formed to investigate accidents reported by the companies to the Board of Trade, and report their findings to Parliament. They were also tasked with inspecting new lines, and commenting on their suitability for carrying passenger traffic. Their reports were published and so made available to everyone. Their first investigation concerned the derailment of a train caused by the fall of a large casting from a wagon on a passenger train. The Howden rail crash on 7 August 1840 killed four passengers. Other important investigations included the public inquiries into the Shipton-on-Cherwell train crash in 1874, and the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879. The then Chief Inspector, William Yolland chaired the first, and was a member of the board in the second.
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