Major travel chaos is hitting the network tonight following a serious train crash near Bedford. Two East Midlands Railway passenger services have collided just south of the town near the Elstow interchange. Crucially for local commuters, the incident involved the 16:40 service running directly from Corby to London St Pancras, which collided with a train travelling from Nottingham.
Passengers on board have described terrifying, sudden impacts with no warning. Witnesses speak of smoke-filled carriages, people being thrown from their seats, and numerous injuries, including suspected broken bones and facial lacerations. The RMT union has confirmed that both passengers and train crew have sustained “serious injuries.”
A massive emergency response is currently underway at the scene. The East of England Ambulance Service has deployed its Hazardous Area Response Team alongside an air ambulance. Bedfordshire Police and Fire crews are working alongside rail inspectors to secure the tracks and assist the wounded, and authorities are strictly warning relatives and friends of passengers not to travel to the site.
For anyone looking to travel tonight, East Midlands Railway has issued a strict “DO NOT TRAVEL” warning. All lines between Luton and Bedford are completely blocked, and all EMR services in and out of London St Pancras have been suspended for the rest of the day. Rail Accident Investigation inspectors are already on-site launching a full investigation into how both trains ended up on the same line.
