Man killed and 15 injured after two trains collide in Wales

A man was killed and 15 passengers sustained injuries after two trains collided in Wales on Monday evening.

The collision prompted authorities to shut down the railway line near Llanbrynmair in Powys and all passengers were evacuated, British Transport Police superintendent Andrew Morgan said.

The injuries suffered by the 15 passengers were not believed to be life-threatening.

Anthony Hurford, who was a passenger on the Shrewsbury-bound service, said the train stopped “in the blink of an eye” and he was thrown to the floor.

He told BBC Breakfast: “The word that keeps coming to my head is just ‘brutal’, really. Just going from, I don’t know how fast we were going, maybe 40, 50, 60 miles an hour, to nothing in the blink of an eye.

“Somehow my body bent the leg of a table and ripped it off its bolts attached to the wall. Suddenly I was on the floor with my laptop strewn ahead of me wondering what the hell had happened.

“We tried to stop at the lights. At the top of the hill, there’s a signal that I guess would’ve been a passing place and for whatever reason the train wouldn’t stop.

“There must’ve been 30/40 people from fire (service), there was British Transport Police who had come from Birmingham, there were three helicopters, people had come from north and south Wales as far as I’m aware. I was checked by three or four different medics.”

The incident involved the Transport for Wales 6.31pm service from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and the Transport for Wales 7.09pm service from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.

Mr Morgan added: “We extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones, alongside everyone else impacted and specialist officers continue to provide support.”

He said the transport police were working with emergency services and the rail industry to “understand the circumstances leading up to this collision”, adding local residents would see “an increased policing presence in the area in the coming days as a result”.

Police said officers were called to the line near Llanbrynmair at 7.29pm to reports of a collision involving two trains.

They said the Cambrian railway west of Machynlleth will remain closed while specialist teams investigate the accident.

Network Rail and Transport for Wales in a joint statement it was a “low-speed collision” and both trains remained on the tracks. The organisations added they were extremely grateful to the emergency services that helped the passengers and the staff evacuate.

“Our first thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the man who has lost his life, as well as all the other people involved in this incident,” they said.

“We are working closely with other agencies, including emergency services, to understand how this incident happened and they will have our full support.”

First minister of Wales Eluned Morgan said: “My thoughts are with all those involved in the rail incident in Powys earlier this evening. I would like to thank the emergency services for their response and have asked to be kept informed of any developments throughout the night.”

A coastguard helicopter is at the scene as well as firefighters.