Man arrested after train hits tractor and trailer
SWNSA man has been arrested after a train hit a tractor and trailer on a level crossing in Herefordshire, leaving two people injured and rail services at a standstill.
One passenger, a man, was airlifted to Hereford County Hospital, although his injuries were not life-threatening, West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) said.
A woman was also taken to hospital by ambulance following the crash near Leominster at about 10:45 BST, although she is not thought to be seriously hurt.
British Transport Police (BTP) said a 32-year-old man from Bromyard had been arrested on suspicion of endangering safety on the railway.
A spokesperson for the Rail Accident Investigation Branch said a team of inspectors was at the site, gathering evidence.
Fifteen other people were checked over and discharged at the scene. The tractor driver was uninjured, the ambulance service added.
Ashley Phoenix, who was on the train at the time, said he was woken up by "shaking and vibrating" and added: "I thought it was going to come off the tracks. People [were] screaming and shouting.
"It's not something you expect to happen on your way to work."
He was among 56 passengers on board the 08:30 train from Manchester Piccadilly heading to Cardiff when the crash happened at Nordan Farm, near Leominster, on Thursday morning.
Fellow passenger Bill Sewell said he was working on his laptop when he heard a "massive bang and a load of stuff started flying past the windows".
He said he saw one man with a bloodied nose, but "by and large, I think everyone's OK".
"I think we're all a bit shaken, because it's one of those things you don't expect to happen when you're just [going] on a normal day to work by train," he added.
Councillor Dan Hurcomb, the ward councillor for the area on Herefordshire Council, said he was grateful for the fast response from the emergency services.
"Whilst I am relieved that no-one was seriously injured, the reality is this could have been much worse," he added.
"I hope there will be a full investigation now to establish the facts and ensure that this type of accident cannot happen again."
National Rail said all lines were blocked between Hereford and Craven Arms, in Shropshire, and services between those stations would be cancelled or changed, with disruption expected until the end of Friday.
A TfW spokeswoman urged people to check before travelling and said tickets would be accepted by other operators.
A spokesperson for BTP said inquiries were ongoing to better understand the circumstances leading up to the crash.
The level crossing takes a farm track across the railway tracks and is only used by agricultural vehicles.
The facility is a user-worked crossing - in these cases, when a railway crosses private land, the owner of the land, working with a signaller, is responsible for opening and closing the gates.
Last month, investigators found several faults in a safety system on a TfW train after a fatal crash in October 2024.
The trains - the Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth service and the Machynlleth to Shrewsbury service - were travelling in opposite directions on a single line and were meant to pass on an extra section of line but the braking system failed.
One man, 66, died and four other passengers were seriously injured.
The RAIB's investigation into the 2024 crash continues and a final report will be published at a later date.
Update 22 May 2025: This article was amended to clarify the status of the investigation into the October 2024 crash
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