Train speeded up past red signal before fatal Bedford rail crash

The collision took place between two East Midlands Railway (EMR) services on Network Rail’s Midland Main Line, about 2.5 miles (4km) south of Bedford station.

The driver of the first train, travelling from Nottingham to London, was learning how to operate a new type of train under the supervision of an instructor.

It stopped after receiving an Automatic Warning System (AWS) alert, despite the signal ahead displaying green.

Neither the driver nor the instructor recognised the alarm as an AWS warning, and it was not acknowledged within the required window. This caused the train’s emergency brakes to be applied automatically.

When Burton’s train approached from Corby, the signal was displaying red, although he acknowledged its AWS warning, he continued to accelerate.

RAIB said no train had previously been recorded passing the signal while it was red since records began in 1985.