Ticket inspector helped passengers after fatal Bedford train crash

A ticket inspector who was hurt in Friday's collision between two East Midlands Railway trains near Bedford continued to radio instructions to close the lines and check on passengers, a witness said. The crash at about 17:15 BST killed the driver of one train and injured roughly 100 people.

Mareks Grabovskis, who had boarded the 16:40 service from Corby, told the BBC he moved to the last carriage moments before impact because the first carriage was crowded.

Crash and immediate response Grabovskis said he was thrown forward, lost consciousness, and awoke to find passengers "covered in blood" and screaming. He described the moments as "one of the most terrifying" of his life. The same witness praised the ticket inspector, noting visible pain but continued efforts to secure the scene.

Network Rail crews began building a temporary road to remove the damaged trains.

Service disruption and commuter impact Network Rail said the line between Bedford and Luton will remain closed for the rest of the week. No Govia Thameslink Railway services will run north of Luton and no East Midlands Railway services will run south of Bedford.

A limited rail-replacement bus service is operating between the two stations. Commuters arriving at Bedford on Monday reported long waits and said staff were providing travel advice.

Track repairs and timeline Mid Bedfordshire MP Blake Stephenson told the BBC that about 600 metres of track will need replacement. Disruption between London and Bedford is expected to last until at least 28 June. Bernie Casey, a regular Bedford-to-London commuter, said he chose to work from home after learning replacement buses would add hours to his journey.