If you’re just joining our live coverage, here’s everything you need to know.
- Emergency services are responding to a “major incident” near Bedford after a collision involving two trains;
- East Midlands Railway said the 4.40pm Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50pm Nottingham to London St Pancras service were involved in the collision;
- A team of inspectors from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch are at the scene near Elstow.
- The train that was hit was at a stand reporting a failure when it was struck from behind by the second train, Sky News understands;
- Health Secretary James Murray said “a number of people have been injured”;
- The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said “serious injuries” have been sustained by on-board train staff and passengers.
Key questions for investigators
Rail expert Tony Miles has said the damage to the trains “looks fairly minimal” and they’ve “stood up very well to the collision”.
The two trains involved in the incident at Bedford South were the 4.40pm East Midlands Railway service from Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50pm Nottingham to London St Pancras service.
He said that looking at the signal plan, both trains were going in the same direction and would have been on the same tracks.
“So the assumption is that one of the trains probably had come to a stop for some reason, possibly stopped at a signal, and the other train’s gone into the back of it. Obviously it’s a rear-end collision.”
He added: “The question has to be, how did that train that’s in the rear get into contact with the train that it was following?”
Miles says this could be due to a signal fault or potentially a mistake from the driver.
One person dead after train collision, says British Transport Police
One person has died after the train collision near Bedford today, the British Transport Police has said.
The force added that a major incident has been declared, and officers are continuing to respond at the scene alongside colleagues from Bedfordshire Police and the local Fire and Rescue and Ambulance Services.
Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said: “We’ve declared a major incident and a significant emergency service response is ongoing.
“We’re working at pace to establish exactly what’s happened and will provide further information as soon as we are able to.”
Starmer: Thoughts with family of those affected
Sir Keir Starmer has commented on the “hugely concerning” incident today.
He said his “thoughts are with the family of the person who has sadly lost their life, and with those who have been seriously injured”.
Air ambulances from scene spotted over Cambridge and Birmingham hospitals
Plane-tracking data has shown multiple air ambulances circling the crash site just south of Bedford.
At least four then appeared to land at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, according to Sky News Data and Forensics analysis of ADS-B Exchange and FlightRadar24 data.
Another helicopter from the scene appeared to land in a field near Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Paramedics: 89 hurt, 11 with ‘very serious injuries’ after collision
We can bring you more details on those injured in today’s train collision, with the East of England Ambulance Service saying that 11 people suffered very serious injuries.
The emergency service added 22 people were seriously injured and a further 56 suffered minor injuries.
“All patients with the most serious injuries have now been taken from the scene to hospital,” a spokesperson said.
They added that more than 20 ambulances, specialist Hazardous Area Response Teams, and six air ambulances were deployed in response to the incident.
Thameslink and EMR service in area suspended, National Rail says
Disruption is expected for the rest of the day as a result of the collision, National Rail has said.
The operator said there is no Thameslink service currently operating between Luton and Bedford.
It added that East Midlands Railway services to and from London St Pancras are suspended for the remainder of the day
A spokesperson added: “We are supporting the efforts of emergency services on scene and our thoughts are with everyone involved.
“Customers are advised not to travel on these routes and seek alternative travel arrangements.”
A&E centres ask people to keep departments clear
Accident and Emergency centres in the areas near the collision have asked people to keep their departments clear for those who need care most.
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Cambridge University Hospitals NHS have issued statements while they respond to today’s incident.
Earlier, our OSINT producer Annoa Abekah-Mensah reported that at least four air ambulances appeared to land at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Sky correspondent on ‘huge response operation’ after train collision
Sky’s Barnaby Papadopulos has been outside a fitness centre turned triage centre on the outskirts of Bedford, where some of the wounded have been treated.
He says: “Passengers, some with minor injuries, were brought here after the crash.
“Volunteers from organisations including React Disaster Response and other civil society agencies are inside handing out food, bottles of water, and places to sit to passengers as they wait for onward travel to be arranged.
“Some of the people leaving the building had bandages around their heads as they were picked up by relatives or driven to onward destinations by rail staff.
“By 11pm, almost all passengers had left, and the centre was winding down.
“But a tent is being set up to serve hot food and drinks to emergency service workers who have been involved in what has become a huge response operation.”
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