Postal worker killed in Stafford rail accident was working with son

The postal worker killed in the Stafford rail accident was working with one of his four sons in the train on the night of the crash, it emerged yesterday.

John Thomson, 57, a widower from Glasgow, who had worked for the Royal Mail since leaving school, was sorting letters with his 32-year-old son, also named John, on Friday night.

A statement by Railtrack said there was no evidence of vandalism, track defects or signalling as a cause of the accident. Sources in the rail industry are sceptical that a track failure could be ruled out so quickly, especially as the line is awaiting an as yet unscheduled overhaul and maintenance standards may have been allowed to lapse. The West Coast main line has been dogged by track failures and speed restrictions.