3 min readJun 20, 2026 10:12 PM IST
First published on: Jun 20, 2026 at 10:07 PM IST
A train driver was killed and nearly 90 people injured after two London-bound passenger trains collided just north of the capital on Friday evening. The crash took place shortly after 5 pm on a section of track near the Elstow interchange, just south of Bedford, news agency Associated Press reported. Both trains, operated by East Midlands Railway (EMR), were heading toward London St Pancras when the collision occurred.
British Transport Police (BTP) later confirmed the victim was one of the train drivers.
According to the East of England Ambulance Service, around 89 passengers were treated for injuries. Eleven people are in critical condition, 22 sustained serious injuries, and 56 others were treated for minor cuts and bruises.
Rescue operations
Authorities launched a rescue operation, dispatching air ambulances, firefighters and specialist response teams to the site. Local hospitals immediately reactivated incident protocols, pleading with the public to stay away from emergency rooms unless absolutely necessary to keep corridors clear for incoming casualties.
According to BBC reports, one passenger said, “There was no warning at all, and it was a sudden impact that violently threw people from their seats. Just a massive shudder and people flying forward.”
Witnesses described the scene inside the carriages, with smoke filling the compartments as passengers tried to help those with broken limbs and bleeding wounds. Within minutes, videos began surfacing on social media showing dozens of dazed passengers huddled along the tracks in the twilight while emergency crews scrambled down the embankments.
Weekend travel chaos
EMR confirmed the collision involved its 4.40 pm service from Corby to London St Pancras and the 3.50 pm service out of Nottingham.
All rail lines to and from London St Pancras were shut down immediately, resulting in travel chaos that is expected to paralyse the network through the weekend. Stranded passengers were also told they won’t be able to retrieve any luggage left on board until forensic teams finish clearing the wreckage.
Investigation underway
The crash has drawn immediate reactions from Downing Street. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the early reports “hugely concerning,” offering his condolences to the driver’s family and praising the swift response of the emergency services.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander echoed those sentiments, saying that inspectors from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) were already on the ground.
While a full investigation into how two trains ended up in a collision is underway, officials said it is still far too early to say exactly what really happened.
Emergency personnel work on a train on the tracks outside Bedford, England, after a train from Corby to London St. Pancras and another from Nottingham to London St. Pancras, collided. (Source: AP) 
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