Train derails leaving carriages hanging over river

A goods train has derailed leaving two wagons overhanging a bridge across the River Ouse near Littleport. Rail firm English, Welsh and Scottish said no-one was hurt when the crash occurred on the Ely – Bury St Edmunds line at around 3am on Friday. Eleven

A goods train has derailed leaving two wagons overhanging a bridge across the River Ouse near Littleport.

Rail firm English, Welsh and Scottish said no-one was hurt when the crash occurred on the Ely - Bury St Edmunds line at around 3am on Friday.

Eleven of the train's 37 wagons overturned, two of them damaging a bridge.

The bridge was damaged and the line - mainly used by freight trains - was closed, affecting services between London's Liverpool Street station and Peterborough via Ipswich run by the One train company. A footpath was also closed and the Ouse was shut to river traffic.

Today English Welsh and |Scottish said: "The train derailed just before 3am, approximately one mile south of Ely station.

"The train was pulling 37 wagons loaded with aggregate materials. The driver is unhurt and in the incident and a full investigation is now under way."

Network Rail said that an investigation would be carried out before the train was removed from the single line track and it could be days rather than hours before the line was running again as normal.

No-one was injured.

The line is mainly used as a freight route and only one commuter service is affected by it which runs between London Liverpool Street and Peterborough via Ipswich.

Officials from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) were investigating at the scene.

A spokesman for One Railway said: "The derailment of a freight train between Ely and Soham earlier today (Friday 22 June) is disrupting train services between Peterborough and Ipswich. These services are currently terminating / starting at Bury St. Edmunds, with a replacement bus service in operation between Bury St. Edmunds and Ely (and vice-versa) where passengers can change to join train services for onward journeys to / from Peterborough.

"Ipswich to Cambridge train services are not affected by the derailment. Passengers making journeys to / from Peterborough can also travel on Ipswich to Cambridge services and change at Cambridge for Central Trains' services operating between Cambridge and Peterborough.

"These arrangements will remain in operation until further notice. Train running information is available by calling National Rail Enquiries on 08457 484950, or at: www.onerailway.com