Overview
- Emergency crews responded after two East Midlands Railway services collided about 5:15pm on Friday when one southbound train struck the rear of another.
- British Transport Police confirmed the death of a train driver and the East of England Ambulance Service reported 11 people with very serious injuries, 22 seriously injured and 56 with minor injuries.
- RAIB inspectors are gathering on-site evidence while Network Rail has begun a complex recovery to remove damaged carriages, assess infrastructure and restore the route.
- Network Rail warned passengers that recovery work and repairs will disrupt services through the Bedford area for at least a week and replacement buses will run on affected sections.
- Investigators will examine signalling and the interaction of class 360 and newer class 810 trains as possible factors, but no official cause has been determined yet.