'Our train went from 40mph to nothing in the blink of an eye'

Passenger Anthony Hurford
-Credit: (Image: BBC)


A passenger has spoken of the terrifying moment two trains crashed - causing the death of a man. Fifteen people were also taken to hospital following the collision, which happened near Llanbrynmair, in Powys, yesterday evening (Monday).

Anthony Hurford, who was a passenger on the Shrewsbury-bound service, said the train stopped “in the blink of an eye” and he was thrown onto the floor. You can get the latest updates on this incident here.

He told BBC Breakfast: “The word that keeps coming to my head is just ‘brutal’, really. Just going from, I don’t know how fast we were going, maybe 40, 50, 60 miles an hour, to nothing in the blink of an eye.

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“Somehow my body bent the leg of a table and ripped it off its bolts attached to the wall. Suddenly I was on the floor with my laptop strewn ahead of me wondering what the hell had happened.

“We tried to stop at the lights. At the top of the hill there’s a signal that I guess would’ve been a passing place and for whatever reason the train wouldn’t stop.

“There must’ve been 30/40 people from fire (service), there was British Transport Police who had come from Birmingham, there were three helicopters, people had come from north and south Wales as far as I’m aware. I was checked by three or four different medics.”

A Dyfed Powys Police statement last night (Monday) said: "We can confirm one person has died following a collision between two trains, which occurred near Llanbrynmair in Powys this evening. A multi-agency response to the incident saw Dyfed-Powys Police officers, along with British Transport Police, Welsh Ambulance Service, Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, HM Coastguard and agencies from the rail industry called to the train line at just before 7.30pm.

"Sadly, we can now confirm a man has died following the collision. His next of kin have been informed and his family are being supported by specialist officers.

"A further 15 people have been taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life threatening or life changing. All other passengers have now been evacuated from both trains. Our thoughts are with the people and families involved in this incident.

"While we no longer have a presence at the scene, we will continue to work with our emergency services colleagues and transport agencies while enquiries into the incident are ongoing."

British Transport Police Superintendent Andrew Morgan said: “We can sadly confirm a man has died following this evening’s incident. We extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones, alongside everyone else impacted and specialist officers continue to provide support.”

“British Transport Police are working at pace, along with our colleagues in emergency services and the rail industry, to understand the circumstances leading up to this collision. Residents will see an increased policing presence in the area in the coming days as a result.”

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