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A train involved in a fatal crash with another train in Bedfordshire continued to speed up after acknowledging a red light signal, investigators have found.
Shaun Burton, 60, died when the East Midlands Railway (EMR) train he was driving hit the back of a stationary train run by the same operator near Elstow on 19 June.
The crash derailed both trains with around 257 people on board. More than 160 passengers were injured and 102 were taken to hospital.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said in an interim report on Thursday that data recorders from the train showed the Corby to London St Pancras train acknowledged a red signal warning but “continued to accelerate, reaching a maximum speed of 76mph”.
The report said the train driver initially applied the full service brake around 10 seconds before the crash.
About two seconds later, the emergency brake was applied when the train was travelling at around 75mph, around 200 metres from the back of the other train, which was en route from Nottingham to London St Pancras.
Data from the moving train also showed its speed had dropped to around 50mph at the point of the crash.
“It is likely this sequence represents the driver of train 1H46 detecting the presence of train 1B67 on the line ahead and responding to it,” the report said.
It added the last available footage from Mr Burton’s train is around 600 metres away from the train it collided with, and it is not possible to see if the trains are on the same line because of the curve of the tracks.
“A train driver may experience the same limitation of visibility,” investigators said.
RAIB previously said the stationary train had come to a stop “unexpectedly” after a fault with its automatic warning system equipment caused its brakes to apply.
This resulted in the signal behind it automatically changing to red, investigators said.
Approaching trains should stop at red signals.
The latest report also found that data for the accelerating train showed the driver controlled its speed as it left Bedford and acknowledged a yellow signal warning.
Drivers are trained to expect the next signal to be red and to “control the speed of their train to allow them to stop before it”, it said.
Investigators said data from the train recorded the driver acknowledged the red signal “but the train continued to accelerate towards and beyond the signal, which it passed at 17:12:53”.
RAIB said it will continue to probe the actions of those involved and any factors that influenced them and the reasons why Mr Burton’s train passed the signal “at danger”, the status of the braking and other safety systems on the train.
Investigators said: “RAIB investigations, like many others, start by examining the immediate events around an accident and then working outwards to determine why they occurred, and to find any underlying factors.
“That means that a report published at the early stages of an investigation may contain information about immediate events without necessarily providing an explanation as to why they occurred.
“The reasons why train 1H46 passed signal WH154 at danger continue to form part of the ongoing investigation.”
A spokesman for East Midlands Railway said the company recognises the serious and lasting impact this “tragic incident” had on many people and vowed to act on the lessons and “take all appropriate steps to prevent something similar from happening again”.
The spokesman said: “As RAIB makes clear, this is an interim report.
“Its findings may be refined as the investigation progresses, and important questions about why the collision happened remain under investigation.
“We will continue to co-operate fully with RAIB while carefully considering the findings and any lessons that emerge from the investigation process.
“Our focus remains on supporting those affected by the incident, while continuing to work with the relevant authorities and carefully considering any recommendations identified through the investigation process.”