Two passenger trains collide north of London, multiple serious injuries as emergency crews respond

What happened

Two East Midlands Railway passenger trains collided on Friday evening just south of Bedford, about 60 miles north of London. Both services were bound for London St Pancras, one departing from Nottingham and the other from Corby. Around 17:12 BST, the Corby train struck the rear of the Nottingham service, with both trains remaining on the tracks after impact. Images on social media showed passengers walking near the damaged carriages.

I am deeply concerned by reports of the collision.

Emergency response

Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue, British Transport Police, and the East of England Ambulance Service all responded after the first reports came in. More than 30 emergency units were deployed, including an air ambulance. The ambulance service described it as a "major incident" and urged the public to stay away from the area. The Times reported that Bedford Hospital was told to prepare for up to 50 injured people. The Rail, Maritime and Transport union warned that passengers and crew had sustained "serious injuries".

Passengers and staff have sustained serious injuries.

Travel disruption

All lines between Luton and Bedford were blocked following the collision. East Midlands Railway announced it would be unable to operate services to or from London for the rest of the day. Thameslink also confirmed the closure, and replacement transport was not immediately available.

Official reactions

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was "deeply concerned" by reports of the crash and was monitoring the situation. The RMT union voiced alarm over the welfare of both passengers and railway staff. No official casualty figure had been released by early evening, as emergency crews continued working at the scene.