The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has published an interim report detailing the final moments before the fatal train collision near Bedford on 19 June 2026.
At around 5:13pm, an East Midlands Railway passenger service from Corby to London St Pancras collided with the rear of a stationary Nottingham to London train.
The crash occurred on the Midland Main Line, approximately 2.5 miles south of Bedford station.
The driver of the moving Corby service suffered fatal injuries in the collision.
Read: Bedford train crash driver died from traumatic injuries inquest hears
Emergency services took 102 people to hospital following the incident, and at least 160 passengers were injured overall.
Black box data
The stationary Nottingham train stopped unexpectedly after an automatic emergency brake application.
Data shows an automatic warning system alerted the driver at a signal, despite it correctly displaying a green proceed aspect.
RAIB said the train’s driver, who was already qualified, was undertaking additional training to drive Class 810 trains, and a driver-instructor was also in the cab at the time of the accident.
The driver did not acknowledge this warning within the permitted 2.7 seconds, triggering the brakes.
A loud alarm sounded continuously in the cab, but neither the driver nor the driving instructor recognised it or silenced it.
Read: Faulty safety system triggered fatal Bedford rail crash
As the Nottingham train occupied the track, the preceding signal correctly displayed a red aspect to protect it.
However, the Corby train driver acknowledged the warning at this red signal but continued to accelerate, reaching a maximum speed of 76mph.
The driver applied the emergency brake about 200 metres before the collision, and the train struck the stationary carriages at 50mph.
Ongoing investigation
Read: Rail minister visits Bedford to thank first responders, rail staff and volunteers
The RAIB stated that interim reports aim to establish the immediate events surrounding an accident.
A spokesperson for the organisation noted, “The reasons why train 1H46 passed signal WH154 at danger continue to form part of the ongoing investigation.
“RAIB investigations, like many others, start by examining the immediate events around an accident and then working outwards to determine why they occurred, and to find any underlying factors.
“That means that a report published at the early stages of an investigation may contain information about immediate events without necessarily providing an explanation as to why they occurred.”
