British train operator under Transport UK Group; runs the East Midlands franchise
Two southbound East Midlands Railway services have collided south of Bedford at about 5:15pm on 19 June 2026. Emergency services have declared a major incident; one person has died at the scene. The East of England Ambulance Service has reported 11 very serious injuries, 22 serious injuries and 56 minor injuries.
Two passenger trains bound for London collided near Bedford on Friday evening. One driver has died, and dozens are injured with hospital treatment ongoing. RAIB and British Transport Police are investigating as officials urge patience while facts are gathered.
Two trains south of London collided near Bedford, killing the driver and injuring many passengers. Emergency services responded quickly; investigations are underway to determine the cause as rail officials secure the scene.
A collision between two East Midlands Railway trains near Bedford has left one driver dead and more than 100 people injured. RAIB is investigating after a stationary train unexpectedly braked due to a fault in its AWS system, and a second train failed to stop, colliding at Elstow. Disruption is expected on the Midland Main Line as engineers work to recover the scene.
Rail investigations show that a driver’s red-signal breach led to a deadly Elstow crash. RAIB interim report points to AWS faults and human error; an inquest has opened as the rail network remains on edge after last month’s collision.
East Midlands Railway has temporarily reduced its Intercity timetable after continuing reliability issues with Hitachi Rail’s Class 810 Aurora trains. The move aims to stabilise services as EMR works with Hitachi to resolve faults; some services are cancelled or shortened and refunds are offered.
Ticket barriers of 6ft are being installed at major stations to deter fare evasion. The government says the taller gates will be rolled out over the next two years, with funding to ensure revenue is protected and services improve for paying customers.