The line to Moorgate was owned by the Metropolitan Railway, which became part of the amalgamated London Passenger Transport Board, using the Underground brand, and branded as part of the Northern Line.

The line up to Holloway Junction (where it joins the ECML) was owned and maintained as part of the Underground, operated by Underground drivers and Underground owned trains, and it was only transferred near the end of 1975 to British Rail.

Perhaps most tellingly, it was London Underground 1938 Stock involved in the 1975 crash.

> Perhaps most tellingly, it was London Underground 1938 Stock involved in the 1975 crash.

Thanks, that's something I'd not realized. I'd assumed the situation was more like the current London Overground system.

More pertinently, a good deal of these seems to to driver error, specifically missing signals. If there's anything automatic drivers are good at, it's not missing signals.

That's a fair point, noted. Better signalling and especially automated signalling has made rail travel orders of magnitude safer.