Bedford train crash recovery operation sparks week long closure as National Rail describes fatal collision as 'isolated incident'

The recovery of trains involved in the Bedford train crash will spark days of delays as recovery operations begin.

Network Rail has confirmed that rail services will be disrupted until June 28 while a “complex recovery operation” begins to remove the two trains involved in the collision.

The organisation also described the crash as a “tragic, isolated incident".

Once the trains have been recovered from the tracks, engineers will then need to assess the damage and complete repairs.

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Rail passengers have been warned to expect disruption to services to and from Bedford for another week, and were urged to only travel if it is “absolutely necessary”.

"There will be no services north of Luton on the busy commuter Thameslink line and no EMR services south of Bedford, with a limited rail replacement bus service in operation between Luton and Bedford," Network Rail said.

British Transport Police confirmed more than 80 people were treated in hospital on Friday night, and as of Saturday morning, 28 remained in hospital, with nine in a critical condition.

Of the 100 victims, 11 people were very seriously injured, a further 32 were seriously hurt and 57 others suffered minor injuries, the East of England Ambulance Service said.

“While investigations are still at an early stage, current indications are that this was a tragic, isolated incident,” said Ellie Burrows, Network Rail Eastern regional managing director.

“We are focused on the safe reopening of the railway and getting services running as quickly as possible.

“During this time, our message to passengers is clear – please expect disruption to services through this area for the majority of next week and only travel if absolutely necessary.”

The train driver was confirmed to have died in the crash. One of the passengers spoke yesterday following the horror crash.

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Brett Byatt said he has been left feeling "shocked" and then "angry".

Speaking to the BBC, the teacher from Bedford said: "Yesterday I was pretty shocked."

He added: "This morning, it feels surreal, and I think I’ve moved into the stage of anger now."

Referring to reports of a fault that had caused one train to stop, he said: "We’ve got one of the oldest railway networks and signal failures happen a lot, and now I’m just wondering … why wasn’t that signalled to my train and why did that train driver lose his life over this?"

Mr Byatt was unharmed in the collision.

He estimated that he thought "90 per cent" of passengers in his carriage had sustained injuries.

The passenger added: "I’d probably say from three to four of us were uninjured in a full carriage.

"Everyone else had either a serious wound that was bleeding profusely, or a situation where they couldn’t stand, or couldn’t move their neck, or I saw a woman’s snapped leg."

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