High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is a government agency that became operational on 17 October 2005. Its primary role is the investigation of rail accidents in the United Kingdom and the Channel Tunnel in order to find a cause, not to lay blame. The agency has operational centres in The Wharf, a facility in Derby, East Midlands, and in Woking, Surrey. The RAIB has this setup so that the RAIB can quickly respond to rail accidents in any part of the United Kingdom. The Chief Inspector and Deputy Chief Inspector operate out of both Derby and Woking offices. Each site has two inspectorate teams and its own operational support staff.