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Delayed rail crash inquest opens Rail crash inquest hears of loss
(about 2 hours later)
An inquest into the deaths of seven people in a Berkshire rail crash is due to resume after nearly three years. A man whose partner and daughter were killed in the Ufton Nervet rail crash has told an inquest of the moment he realised the pair were on the train.
It was delayed while a man, who lost two relatives in the crash, successfully fought for legal aid. Anjanette Rossi, 38, and Louella Main, nine, were among seven people killed in the crash on a level-crossing near Ufton Nervet, Berkshire, in 2004.
On 6 November 2004, Brian Drysdale, 48, parked his car on a level crossing near the village of Ufton Nervet. A train collided with it and derailed. David Main told the inquest in Slough how the pair had been shopping and missed their first train home.
Mr Drysdale, five passengers, and the train driver, Stanley Martin, 54, of Torquay in Devon, died in the crash. He was waiting at Newbury station but could not get hold of them by phone.
Among the witnesses scheduled to give evidence are Peter Webster, a surviving passenger whose 14-year-old daughter was killed, and David Main whose partner and daughter died in the crash. Derailed carriages
I was on the train with my daughter and the horrors of the crash will stay with me forever Peter Webster The inquest began on Monday morning after a delay of nearly three years while Mr Main, of Speen, Berkshire, successfully fought for legal aid.
A 12-day inquest had been planned to start in Winchester, Hampshire, in October 2005 but was adjourned to allow an appeal over legal aid. Train driver Stanley Martin, 54, of Torquay in Devon, and five passengers died when motorist Brian Drysdale, 48, of Reading, parked his car on the level crossing as the high-speed London Paddington to Plymouth service approached at 100mph.
The government had decided not to provide legal aid to the victims' family. All eight carriages derailed in the crash on 6 November 2004.
The decision was successfully contested by Mr Main, of Speen in Berkshire, following a trip to the High Court, having the matter raised in the House of Commons and finally receiving a personal recommendation from the Lord Chancellor.
Mr Webster, of Doccombe in Devon, has campaigned for better rail safety.
"I'm not looking forward to [the inquest] very much. I don't particularly want to hear witnesses talking unemotionally about what was for me a very emotional event, " he said.
"I was on the train with my daughter - train crashes do not do very nice things to people. The horrors of the crash will stay with me forever."
After Mr Drysdale, from Reading, parked his car on the level crossing it was hit by a First Great Western high-speed train from London Paddington to Plymouth.
All eight carriages derailed.
The five passengers who died were: Mr Main's partner Anjanette Rossi, 38, of Speen, Berkshire, and daughter Louella Main, nine; Charlie Matthews, 72, of Warminster, Wiltshire; Barry Strevens, 55, of Wells, Somerset; and Emily Webster, 14.The five passengers who died were: Mr Main's partner Anjanette Rossi, 38, of Speen, Berkshire, and daughter Louella Main, nine; Charlie Matthews, 72, of Warminster, Wiltshire; Barry Strevens, 55, of Wells, Somerset; and Emily Webster, 14.
The jury inquest, presided over by Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford, is being held at The Centre conference venue, in Slough, Berkshire.The jury inquest, presided over by Berkshire Coroner Peter Bedford, is being held at The Centre conference venue, in Slough, Berkshire.