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I might add to my previous post that the former government didn't stop at separating the infrastructure from the operators, they then divided up the trackage into a significant number of sections and let bids for maintenance contracts, with the lowest bidder getting the contract. The Engineering Dept. was sold off and Railtrack had to contract back in their services. Indeed Railtrack was only allowed to retain a small number of track inspectors who were to function as auditors only. That proved to be way too few as at Hatfield a fast moving DMU derailed at a switch and slammed into the station platform. The cause was discovered to be missing bolts on an adjustment rod for the facing point lock at a switch. In other words the DMU picked the switch at nearly 90 mph. due to improper maintenance. Note that the contractor holding the contract for that section had reported excellent financial results for the previous year. The company was investigated and then fined heavily for serious failings in record keeping and employee qualifications, and  all their contracts were cancelled. Since then Railtrack has been replaced by Network Rail who has taken all Maintenance and Engineering functions back in House where they belong. Yes and no. It was railtracks decision when flogged to downgrade the enginerring function and concentrate on generating cash from property. They were sold a pup when the Infrastructure/ Renewal contracts were signed and then handed to them; as basically these were based on a RPI-3% basis over 5 years on system where the number of trains was increasing. Therefore there was no incentive to actually inspect; add in a perofrmace regime which was suspect and chaos ensued. Hatfied was caused by a railbreak on a curve through RCF, nothing to do with crossings; I believe that you are mxing that up with Potters Bar. However Hatfield was the straw whoch broke the camels back as Failtrack found out to its horror that it didn't know the actual state of its asset; therefore panicked and imposed 20MPH blanket restrictions. The result was massive penalties for the users and a rerailing of a lot of sites. Not long after Railtrack was forced int administration by the government.
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