The men were killed when a runaway wagon ploughed into them at about 40mph on a section of the West Coast Main Line near Tebay, Cumbria two years ago.

Mark Connolly, 44, of Coedana, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, North Wales and Roy Kennett, 29, of Hollingborne, Maidstone, Kent, both deny four counts of manslaughter.

Connolly also denies three counts of breaching Health and Safety laws, and Kennett denies one count.

The four men who died were Colin Buckley, 49, of Carnforth, Lancashire, Darren Burgess, 30, also of Carnforth, Chris Waters, 53, of Morecambe, Lancashire, and Gary Tindall, 46, of Tebay.

The jury of six men and six women, sitting at Newcastle Crown Court, retired this morning after an 11-week trial.