Judge Michael Findlay Baker QC will conduct the inquest into the deaths of Austen Kark, Emma Knights, Jonael Schickler, Alexander Ogunwusi, Chia Hsin Lin, Chia Chin Wu and Agnes Quinlivan.

The seven died when the passenger train derailed on May 10, 2002, smashing into a station platform in Potters Bar, north of London.

A Health and Safety Executive report in 2003 blamed the crash on poorly maintained points.

The track was maintained by Jarvis which went into administration earlier this year. Its reputation never really recovered after the Potters Bar crash.

The inquest will be held at the Spirella Building in Letchworth, Hertfordshire, and is expected to last about two months.

Judge Baker said: “Eight years have passed since the Potters Bar rail crash.

“The delay in holding an inquest has been extreme and will have protracted to an exceptional degree the distress of those who have been bereaved.

“In their interest and in the more general public interest, there must be no more delay.”