Two trains collided north of London on Friday, resulting in injuries to several people, according to a UK official. The British Transport Police responded to reports of the collision “in the Bedford area,” located around 56 miles north of London. James Murray, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, confirmed he was being kept updated on the incident involving trains between Luton and Bedford.
Passenger accounts described scenes of chaos, with bloodied faces and broken legs among those injured. Peter Knapp told the BBC he felt like he’d been in a bomb explosion due to the extent of injuries and smoke within train carriages. Shola Mene reported seeing people fly from seats and hit others, resulting in severe facial injuries.
Emergency services, including the East of England Ambulance Service and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, were dispatched to the scene. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed deep concern over the collision reports. Thameslink, the rail operator serving the region, suspended trains between Luton and Bedford, advising customers not to travel in the evening.
The Rail Accident Investigation Branch confirmed a team of inspectors was at the site to investigate the incident. Train collisions are rare in Britain; notable incidents include one in September 2023 involving the Flying Scotsman train at Aviemore railway station and another fatal collision near Stonehaven in August 2020, which resulted in three deaths. In 2023, Network Rail faced a $8.4 million fine for safety failings.