Verified answer

No.

The boss of Network Rail, John Armitt, has admitted responsibility for this event. He wouldn't do that unless he was sure no-one else was to blame.

Another reason the railways are unlikely to become a target for terrorists, is that such organisations are after mass casualties, which generate worldwide coverage.

Of course sympathies must go to the one fatality and injured in this crash, but is has proven that even if a train leaves the tracks at 90 mph, the safety systems are now so good, that deaths and injuries are minimal (compared to a road vehicle, for example).

Let's not give the terrorists the oxygen of publicity - whether they are responsible or not.

Most unlikely.

Terrorists tend to seek the maximum disruption for their effort.

The removal of a spreader bar (NOT a piece of track, as suggested by the questioner) in the Lake District could only affect a single train.

If terrorists were behind this, then they would have targeted something like one of the "throat" approaches to Birmingham New Street or the high-speed line through Ashford International.

In any case, the other two spreader bars were clearly corroded - even terrorists cannot manufacture that!

The cause of the crash is negligence.

No way. If, God forbid, terrorists wanted to attack the rail network, they would do it in a far more spectacular fashion - just use your imagination. And also terrorists tend to be urban creatures. Somehow I cannot see them stumbling around muddy fields in Cumbria in the middle of winter and then unscrewing some nuts and bolts. No, subject to what any inquiry may find out, I suggest it was down to sheer bad workmanship and lack of pride in the job.

It has been established that the cause of the derailment was a set of points that were faulty. The blame lies entirely with Network Rail, the body responsible for track maintenance.

I doubt it, what annoyed me was they had footage of the dodgy track but said they dont usually do anything about it unless it causes a problem. A bit like shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted dont you think!

Bit over the top mate, I am sure they would have done worse than de-rail a train in Cumbria!! They explained it on the news, the bar that was missing was away getting duplicated to replace the bar they had taken away to duplicate! Honestly!

No, just idiocy. A terrorist would have done something that ensured a train derailed. Hundreds of trains had passed over that bit track before, that train was just unlucky.

i dont think so. i think it was a mistake made by the maintinance people. if it was terrorists it would of probably been on the east coast main line which would of caused more disruption then the westcoast line.if it was a terriost attck it wasn't very good

If it was terrorism the rail network would be forced to a complete stop. If it was negligence - the person responsible should be publicly shot...

i very much doubt it . lets just wait for the results of the investigation. We now have an idea of what happened but it is just as important to know why