CRACKS in the track at Hatfield were not picked up during a visual inspection just a week before the crash, it was revealed today.

More than 50 pre-existent cracks were found when the fragmented track was put together again, the Health and Safety Executive said in a second interim report into the crash.

The section shattered into 300 pieces when a GNER express train from London to Leeds derailed there on October 17, killing four people.

Ultrasonic testing of the track was also carried out before the incident.

Chris Willby, technical expert to the HSE board, said today: "The evidence that we have is that Railtrack had a system that was not optimised to look at the sort of cracks that were occurring at Hatfield."

And Vic Coleman, chief inspector of railways, said it was a "matter of concern" that the visual inspection a week before the crash had not resulted in the cracks being spotted.

No speed restrictions were in place at the time of the derailment and the train was going at 115mph-117mph.

When pressed today, Mr Coleman said speed restrictions should have been in force.

The report said that Railtrack had overall responsibility for the track, while maintenance on this section was supplied by engineering contractor Balfour Beatty.

It has emerged that senior Railtrack and Balfour Beatty executives could face manslaughter charges over the Hatfield crash.

The HSE said in today's report: "Subject to there being sufficient evidence, a prosecution will be considered under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

"But if there is evidence of criminal negligence, the Crown Prosecution Service will first be asked by British Transport Police to consider a charge of manslaughter."

The report added: "All the evidence points to the derailment having been caused by fracture and subsequent fragmentation of a rail between Welham Green and Hatfield on a right-hand curve."

After the derailment, HSE inspectors identified and collected more than 700 pieces of evidence spread over a wide area. They scoured track, embankments, parkland and a private property.

Updated: 12:24 Wednesday, January 24, 2001