I actually made it, 12 months too late, but I did make it to Paddington

Pam Warren

Peter Macaulay, of New Zealand, described his grief on hearing that his son Matthew, 26, an antiques consultant, had died in the crash.

Mr Macaulay said: "Twelve months on the pain is no less, it just hurts less often."

Crash survivor Richard Castle, 43, from Stroud in Gloucestershire, said that after the crash his abiding memory was "pain, utter bewilderment and an overwhelming sense of fortune that I had survived".

Earlier, Paddington Station fell quiet as commuters observed a minute's silence in memory of those who died.

The silence began at 0811 BST, the time of the disaster, and another silence was observed at the crash site at midday - with all trains brought to a standstill.

An announcer at Paddington said: "It is now 08:11am. A year ago today 31 people died in a tragic accident at Ladbroke Grove outside Paddington.

"As a mark of respect we invite you to join with the railway industry to remember them in a one-minute silence."

'Beautiful people'

Some crash survivors and families of those who died had gathered at the station.

They bowed their heads, embraced one another and some wept openly.

Pam Warren, who suffered severe facial burns in the crash, said: "There's lots of emotions going through me.

Survivor Pam Warren is comforted by her husband

"Part of me wants to run away, but the other part of me says, 'I actually made it, 12 months too late, but I did make it to Paddington'. The other part of me is just very sad.

"There were some bright and beautiful people who were killed. We don't think they have been recognised properly. We're going to keep on pushing for them."

She criticised the authorities for "failing to put in the safety systems that should be put in immediately".

The Bishop of Kensington offered prayers at the crash site to those who died, their families and friends, and to "those whose lives bear the physical and emotional scars of that crash".

Plane crashes also happen but you can't go around thinking about it all the time

Jeremy Squires

Passengers at Cheltenham Spa, on the route followed by the Great Western Express, also observed the silence.

Seconds earlier the platform had been heaving with London-bound commuters, some with haunting memories of last year's tragedy.

Mark of respect

Jeremy Squires, 33, from Cheltenham, changed his mind about travelling on the train at the last minute - a decision he said may have saved his life.

"I felt a bit strange the day after the accident," he said.

People also observed a minute's silence at the crash site

"Now I put it on a par with flying on a plane. Plane crashes also happen but you can't go around thinking about it all the time."

Great Western cancelled Thursday's 0603 BST Cheltenham to London service as a mark of respect.

Flowers were being laid at many stations on the Cheltenham to London route.

The first part of the public inquiry concluded last week, with arguments over signals, driver training, escape procedures and warning systems dominating the evidence.

Campaigners, who say no safety improvements have been made to Britain's rail network since the crash, want the Automatic Train Protection (ATP) system installed on all trains.

The government is planning to adopt the less expensive Train Protection Warning System (TPWS).

Part two of the public inquiry, headed by Lord Cullen, starts later this month, and is due to be concluded by the end of the year.