Legal representatives working for Peter Webster, who was travelling with his 14-year-old daughter Emily on the train, challenged the Berkshire coroner Peter Bedford at a meeting this week.

October's inquest into the death of seven people - including Exeter-based train driver Stanley Martin - had looked set to ignore most safety concerns.

But now the scope of the inquest has been widened to look in more detail at features of train safety highlighted by Mr Webster.

Jonathan Green, a solicitor from Exeter law firm Foot Anstey Sargent, represented Mr Webster at the meeting as well as the family of Louella Main and her mother Anjanette Rossi, who were also killed in the crash.

Mr Green, who attended the meeting along with two barristers also representing Mr Webster, said: "The coroner was invited to widen the scope of the inquest.

"He has agreed to look at glass safety; the crash worthiness of the interior as well as the exterior of trains; early warning systems; and unmanned level crossings.
"He will be calling representatives from the Rail Safety and Standards Board, Network Rail and First Great Western.

"Before, the inquest was going to be quite a factual assessment, but he accepted it was the only opportunity the families have to ask questions themselves."

Mr Webster, who has welcomed the result of the meeting, said: "The coroner has accepted our approach.

"I was surprised that none of these issues were going to be considered. This has changed the perspective considerably."

The inquest into the deaths of the seven people who died in the crash at Ufton Nervet on November 6 last year will start on October 17 at the Guildhall in Windsor.

The West Berkshire coroner's officer PC Neil Woods said: "There was no evidence discussed at the pre-hearing. It was a meeting of the legal representatives of the families to discuss legal matters.

"An agreement was reached that the inquest can be dealt with in 12 working days, which is how much time we have set aside for it."