A train driver has died and 89 people have been injured after two passenger trains collided near Bedford, prompting a major emergency response and a full investigation into the crash.
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Emergency services remained at the scene into the night following the collision, which involved two East Midlands Railway services operating between the East Midlands and London.
Casualties and Emergency Response
The East of England Ambulance Service said 11 people suffered very serious injuries, while 22 others were seriously injured. A further 56 people sustained minor injuries and were either treated at the scene or taken to hospital.
Air ambulance helicopters were deployed after the crash occurred south of the Elstow interchange, between the A421 and A6 roads.
Authorities urged members of the public to avoid local hospital emergency departments unless they required urgent medical treatment.
Trains Involved
East Midlands Railway said the trains involved were the 4.40pm service from Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50pm service from Nottingham to London St Pancras.
Rail services to and from London St Pancras on the operator's network were suspended for the remainder of the evening.
One of the trains involved was an Aurora train, a new East Midlands Railway fleet introduced into service last year.
Witness Describes Impact
Passenger Dr Peter Knapp, who was travelling in the front carriage of one of the trains, said there had been no warning before the collision.
He described a sudden impact that threw passengers to the floor, leaving some with bloodied faces as smoke filled the carriage. Knapp said people were crying and screaming in the aftermath as passengers attempted to escape.
He said he managed to open a door and leave the train, later discovering injuries to his legs and back.
Investigation Begins
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch confirmed inspectors had arrived at the scene and had begun gathering evidence.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was deeply saddened by the loss of life and the injuries suffered in the collision. She confirmed that police had declared a major incident and that a full investigation would take place.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed condolences to the family of the driver who died and to those seriously injured, while thanking emergency services for their response.
Rail Industry Shock
The circumstances of the crash remain unclear. Investigators are expected to examine why one train had come to a halt and why the other failed to stop, despite modern railway safety systems.
The collision is likely to be regarded as one of the most serious rail accidents in Britain in recent years. It is the first fatal collision between two passenger trains on a British mainline railway this century and has resulted in the highest number of serious injuries in a UK rail accident for around two decades.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 20 June 2026