East Midlands Railway (EMR) has confirmed there will be no services between Bedford and London St Pancras from Monday, June 22, through Friday, June 26, following a fatal collision on Friday, June 20. The crash, which occurred just south of the Elstow interchange, killed one train driver and left 28 people hospitalized, nine in critical condition.
Service suspensions and alternatives
A limited bus replacement service will operate between Bedford and Luton. Thameslink will run trains between Luton and St Pancras but will not serve stations north of Luton, including Flitwick, Harlington, and Leagrave. No Thameslink services will operate from Bedford. EMR will run hourly services between Bedford and Sheffield, Bedford and Nottingham, and Kettering and Corby.
Passengers traveling to Luton Airport should note that the EMR Luton Airport Express will not run during the recovery. However, tickets for Luton Airport Parkway to London St Pancras (and vice versa) will be accepted on Thameslink services at no extra cost.
Recovery operation details
A complex recovery operation is underway to remove damaged trains and carriages. Engineers must first remove the overhead line equipment (electrical wires) and construct a temporary access road and concrete foundation for a crane. Two 110-tonne rail-mounted Kirow cranes will lift the trains, then a road-mounted crane will move them onto a low loader for removal. After that, engineers will inspect and repair the track, reinstate overhead lines, and conduct safety checks before reopening.
Statements from officials
Will Rogers, Managing Director of East Midlands Railway, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts and heartfelt condolences remain with the family, friends and colleagues of our driver who tragically lost their life. We are also thinking of those who were injured, their loved ones, and all colleagues and customers affected by this incident.” He added that customers should only travel on EMR Intercity and Connect services if essential and check for updates.
Louis Rambaud of Govia Thameslink Railway described it as “an incredibly difficult time” and urged passengers to make only essential journeys on Monday. “We’re boosting the number of our colleagues at stations to help them, and customers should check before they travel and allow extra time,” he said.
