Rail services on the Marches Line were brought to a halt on Thursday 22 May following a collision between a Transport for Wales passenger train and a tractor and trailer at a user-worked level crossing near Leominster, Herefordshire.
The 08:30 service from Manchester Piccadilly to Cardiff Central struck the trailer at a private farm crossing near Nordan Farm, located between Ludlow and Leominster. The incident occurred shortly after 10:45 BST. Despite significant damage to the trailer, the train remained upright and did not derail.
There were 56 passengers on board. West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed that one male passenger was airlifted to Hereford County Hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening, while a female passenger was taken to hospital by land ambulance with injuries described as non-serious. Fifteen other individuals were assessed by medics and discharged at the scene. The driver of the tractor was uninjured.
Emergency services, including British Transport Police, West Mercia Police, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service, and the air ambulance, were all in attendance. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) deployed inspectors to the site and stated that a decision on whether to initiate a formal investigation would be made in due course.
National Rail confirmed that all lines were blocked between Hereford and Craven Arms, with disruption expected for the remainder of the day. Transport for Wales issued a statement urging passengers to check their journeys before travel. Ticket acceptance arrangements were put in place with multiple operators including Northern, Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway, CrossCountry, and West Midlands Railway. Bus services on routes X24, X3, 21 and 23 (operated by Stagecoach) were also accepting rail tickets, though alternative road transport was unable to serve Craven Arms or Church Stretton due to separate unrelated issues.
The level crossing involved is a user-worked facility, designated for agricultural access. Such crossings are generally the responsibility of the landowner, in coordination with the signaller, and are not monitored by automatic barriers or warning systems.
As a precaution, all Mark 4 sets operated by Transport for Wales were withdrawn from service on the day of the incident. Sets HD03, HD05, and HD07 are currently stabled at Crewe.
Network Rail and Transport for Wales issued a joint statement confirming that disruption on the route is likely to continue throughout the day, with further updates to be provided via official passenger information channels.
