The driver who died in the Bedford train crash in which 100 people were injured has been named as 60-year-old Shaun Burton.
In a statement his family said: “We are devastated by his loss. Our thoughts are also with those affected by this incident.”
Network Rail has said the crash was a “tragic, isolated incident”, following early investigations into its cause.
Authorities are still probing the fatal crash, which happened when a Luton Airport Express train collided into the back of another East Midlands Railway train on Friday.
The railway where the crash happened will be closed until June 28 while a “complex” recovery operation takes place, she added.
The closure of the line between Bedford and London St Pancras means there will be no Greater Thameslink Railway services north of Luton and no East Midlands services south of Bedford.
Nine people remained in a critical condition as of Saturday afternoon, after the collision on the same line at around 5pm the day before.
The East of England Ambulance Service said 11 people sustained very serious injuries, 32 were seriously injured while another 57 people suffered minor injuries.
Were you impacted by the train crash in Bedford? Email alex.croft@independent.co.uk
Key Points
- Train driver killed in crash named
- Early stage investigations show crash was ‘tragic, isolated incident’ - Network Rail
- Rail closed until June 28 during 'complex' recovery operation
- Injury toll of Bedford crash increases to 100, with nine in critical condition
- Investigation expected to look at human error and signal failures as cause of crash
- Recap: How did the crash unfold?
Train driver in Bedford crash named
17:38 , Maira ButtA driver who died in the Bedford train crash has been named as 60-year-old Shaun Burton.
In a statement his family said: “We are devastated by his loss. Our thoughts are also with those affected by this incident.”
They have released an image and asked for privacy to mourn their loss.
Rail Accident Investigation Branch to give update in coming days
15:02 , Alex CroftIn a statement on X, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it was working with the British Transport Police to determine what happened before the crash.
In a statement on X, the RAIB said: “RAIB inspectors continue to gather evidence at the site of yesterday's collision between two trains near Elstow.
"RAIB will conduct a full, independent safety investigation into this tragic accident.
"We will provide a further update in the coming days once we know more."
Watch: Bedford train crash passenger captures collision aftermath on video
14:29 , Alex CroftWhy do train drivers need radio communication with signallers? GSM-R explained
14:01 , Alex CroftSimon Calder writes:
The system that allows train drivers to communicate with signallers is called the Global System for Mobile Communications-Railway (GSM-R).
Network Rail says it delivers “digital, secure and dependable communications between drivers and signallers”.
GSM-R was rolled out between 2007 and 2014 at a cost of £1.9bn to increase safety and reduce costs by replacing the patchwork of inefficient legacy systems which were expensive to maintain. It uses a combination of standard mobile technology alongside a customised telecommunication network.
Please refrain from speculation, say transport police
13:31 , Alex CroftBritish Transport Police have urged people to please “refrain from speculation” on what caused the Bedford train crash, as a probe continues.
“There will be a lot of questions as to what exactly happened on (Friday) night, chief constable Lucy D’Orsi said.
“I would like to reassure everyone that specialist investigators from British Transport Police are working with colleagues at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to gather the facts and determine what has happened.
“They are extremely experienced and I would ask that we all refrain from speculation.”
Police Federation of England and Wales: 'Thoughts remain with the victims'
13:00 , Alex CroftThe Police Federation of England and Wales has issued a statement on the Bedford train crash.
"Our thoughts remain with the victims involved in the Bedford train collision," the federation said.
"We are also thinking of our BTP (British Transport Police) and Bedfordshire Police colleagues and all emergency workers at this difficult time."
The Independent View | The Bedford train tragedy demands seriousness – not a distracting debate about public ownership
12:31 , Alex CroftIt may be too early to know the cause of the Bedford train accident, the worst for more than two decades. The outcome is horrific enough as it is. Nine people are in a critical condition following the collision between two trains on Friday evening, in which a driver died and 89 people were injured.
The question for the investigation team is likely to be why the Train Protection and Warning System – introduced across the network after the Ladbroke Grove disaster, which killed 31 people in 1999 – did not prevent this crash. That system, designed to stop trains automatically if they pass a red signal, has worked well since its inception.
Even before we know more, however, we can rule out one kneejerk response, which is to blame privatisation. The two trains involved in this collision were operated by East Midlands Railway, a private company whose service will be taken back into public ownership when its contract expires in October this year.
That is how the Labour government is delivering its manifesto promise to take the train companies into the public sector gradually as franchises expire. But ownership of the rail company is irrelevant in this case if the problem is one of signalling and safety systems, which are operated by Network Rail, the publicly owned company that took over from Railtrack.
Read The Independent’s editorial:
The Bedford train tragedy demands seriousness – not a debate about public ownership
Early stage investigations show crash was ‘tragic, isolated incident’ - Network Rail
12:18 , Alex CroftWe’ve heard more from Network Rail Eastern director Ellie Burrows, who has shed some light on the ongoing investigation into the case of the crash.
Investigations are still at an early stage, she says - but early indications are that it was a “tragic, isolated incident”.
She adds: “We are focused on the safe reopening of the railway and getting services running as quickly as possible.”
Rail closed until June 28 during 'complex' recovery operation
12:11 , Alex CroftThe railway where the Bedford train crash happened will be closed until June 28 while a “complex” recovery operation takes place.
The closure of the line between Bedford and London St Pancras means there will be no Greater Thameslink Railway services north of Luton and no East Midlands services south of Bedford.
Ellie Burrows, Network Rail Eastern regional managing director, said: “Colleagues from across the rail industry are working together at pace to remove the trains and carriages from the railway, and complete the repairs to the tracks.
“This is a complex and challenging task, and our teams will be working tirelessly to reopen the railway so we can resume services between Bedford and London.
Bedford train crash passenger 'angry' after horror collision: 'Why did that train driver lose his life?'
11:27 , Alex CroftIn pictures: Immediate aftermath of the Bedford train crash
10:52 , Alex Croft
Bedford train crash: Everything we know about the collision that killed a driver and injured 89
10:19 , Alex CroftA train crash in Bedfordshire has left one dead and dozens more injured after two services collided during rush hour.
The fatal incident took place on Friday when the 4:40pm departure from Corby collided into the back of the 3:50pm from Nottingham. Both services were headed to London St Pancras.
As of Saturday lunchtime, 28 remain in hospital with nine in a critical condition, British Transport Police chief constable Lucy D’Orsi said. Some 100 people were hurt in total.
King Charles and Sir Keir Starmer have offered their condolences.
Here’s everything we know about the crash.
Witness says most people in his carriage could not stand or move their neck after crash
09:47 , Alex CroftA passenger on one of the trains that collided said he thought 90 per cent of people on his carriage had serious injuries, could not stand or move their neck.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Brett Byatt said: “The people in first class ended up with stomach and rib injuries, because they went into the tables they have in first class, and EMR (East Midlands Railway) trains, the way that they’re structured with seats, was probably the worst way it could have been structured for a train crash, in the sense that there’s nothing… because they’re, they face each other in the three by three and the two by three, and the seat… when people flew into one another, the seats that they were on, like, broke backwards into the people behind them.”
The teacher, who lives in Bedford and was unharmed in the crash, added: “I’ve said before that I’d probably say 90 per cent of the people on my carriage had injuries, I’d probably say from three to four of us were uninjured in a full carriage.
“Everyone else had either a serious wound that was bleeding profusely, or a situation where they couldn’t stand, or couldn’t move their neck, or I saw a woman’s snapped leg.”
Passengers recall people 'bleeding profusely' with severe injuries
09:15 , Alex CroftBrett Byatt, 40, a passenger on one of the trains, told BBC Radio 4 that everyone on his carriage had “either a serious wound that was bleeding profusely, or a situation where they couldn’t stand, or couldn’t move their neck, or I saw a woman’s snapped leg.”
“The people in first class ended up with stomach and rib injuries, because they went into the tables they have in first class, and EMR (East Midlands Railway) trains, the way that they’re structured with seats, was probably the worst way it could have been structured for a train crash.
“This morning, it feels surreal, and I think I’ve moved into the stage of anger now. I’m feeling pretty angry”, he added.
Investigation expected to look at human error and signal failures as cause of crash
08:15 , Alex CroftAn ongoing probe into what caused the Bedford train crash is likely looking into signal failures and the possibility of human error, an expert has said.
Authorities, led by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch, will be looking at data from the black boxes in the trains, along with CCTV and available signalling information.
“I think it comes down to human error or a system fault, or some kind of interaction from the environment outside … It’s very hard to tell [what happened],” railway systems consultant Peter Hicks told The Times.
“They [the investigators] will get downloads from the systems on the trains to say what inputs the drivers gave, and outputs from the signalling system. And they will be the ones who can say what the root cause and what the contributory causes were.”
Watch: Bedford train crash passenger captures collision aftermath on video
07:50 , Alex CroftIn pictures: Scene of the fatal crash near Bedford
07:39 , Alex Croft
Please refrain from speculation, say transport police
07:27 , Alex CroftBritish Transport Police have urged people to please “refrain from speculation” on what caused the Bedford train crash, as a probe continues.
“There will be a lot of questions as to what exactly happened on (Friday) night, chief constable Lucy D’Orsi said.
“I would like to reassure everyone that specialist investigators from British Transport Police are working with colleagues at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to gather the facts and determine what has happened.
“They are extremely experienced and I would ask that we all refrain from speculation.”
Rail Accident Investigation Branch to give update in coming days
07:01 , Alex RossIn a statement on X, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said it was working with the British Transport Police to determine what happened before the crash.
In a statement on X, the RAIB said: “RAIB inspectors continue to gather evidence at the site of yesterday's collision between two trains near Elstow.
"RAIB will conduct a full, independent safety investigation into this tragic accident.
"We will provide a further update in the coming days once we know more."
'The Bedford train tragedy demands seriousness' - The Independent View
03:00 , Alex RossIn our editorial published tonight, we say the horrific incident requires urgent investigation, but it must not be hijacked by those with an axe to grind about railway nationalisation.
Read the full piece here:
The Bedford train tragedy demands seriousness – not a debate about public ownership
Update on number of people injured in crash
Sunday 21 June 2026 00:04 , Alex RossEast of England Ambulance Service has issued an update on the number of people injured in the crash, saying 100 people were hurt.
The number seriously injured was 32, and the number with minor injuries, 57. Eleven people sustained very serious injures, the ambulance service said.
Nine of these people remained in a critical condition in hospital as of Saturday afternoon.
Lord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire pays tribute to those in crash
Saturday 20 June 2026 23:59 , Alex RossLord-Lieutenant of Bedfordshire, Susan Lousada, has paid tribute to those involved in the Bedford crash.
She wrote on X: “As Bedfordshire continues to come to terms with yesterday’s tragic rail accident, our thoughts remain with all those who were injured, affected, or anxiously awaiting news of loved ones.
“We also remember with great sadness the train driver who lost his life whilst carrying out his duties. Our deepest sympathies are with his family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.”
Police Federation of England and Wales: 'Thoughts remain with the victims'
Saturday 20 June 2026 22:16 , Alex RossThe Police Federation of England and Wales has issued a statement on the Bedford train crash.
"Our thoughts remain with the victims involved in the Bedford train collision," the federation said.
"We are also thinking of our BTP (British Transport Police) and Bedfordshire Police colleagues and all emergency workers at this difficult time."
East Midlands rail route remains closed
Saturday 20 June 2026 21:00 , Alex RossNetwork Rail said on Saturday that part of the East Midlands route remained closed as the emergency response continued and teams assessed damage to the trains and infrastructure.
The company said it would provide updates when it had a clearer understanding of the recovery work required and when services can safely reopen, adding that passengers should check with their train operator for the latest travel advice.
Archbishop of Canterbury says her prayers are for those impacted
Saturday 20 June 2026 20:00 , Alex RossArchbishop of Canterbury Dame Sarah Mullally said her prayers were with the family of the driver who was killed and all those injured.
Writing on X, she added: “May God comfort and protect them, and equip all those who are caring for them in the aftermath of this tragic incident.”
Bedford train crash: Everything we know about the collision that killed a driver and injured 89
Saturday 20 June 2026 19:00 , Alex CroftA train crash in Bedfordshire has left one dead and dozens more injured after two services collided during rush hour.
The fatal incident took place on Friday when the 4:40pm departure from Corby collided into the back of the 3:50pm from Nottingham. Both services were headed to London St Pancras.
As of Saturday lunchtime, 28 remain in hospital with nine in a critical condition, British Transport Police chief constable Lucy D’Orsi said.
King Charles and Sir Keir Starmer have offered their condolences after a train driver was killed, with reports on Saturday that nine more people are in critical condition.
Read everything we know about the crash:
All we know about the deadly Bedford train crash as cause under investigation
Witness says most people in his carriage could not stand or move their neck after crash
Saturday 20 June 2026 18:30 , Alex CroftA passenger on one of the trains that collided said he thought 90 per cent of people on his carriage had serious injuries, could not stand or move their neck.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Brett Byatt said: “The people in first class ended up with stomach and rib injuries, because they went into the tables they have in first class, and EMR (East Midlands Railway) trains, the way that they’re structured with seats, was probably the worst way it could have been structured for a train crash, in the sense that there’s nothing… because they’re, they face each other in the three by three and the two by three, and the seat… when people flew into one another, the seats that they were on, like, broke backwards into the people behind them.”
The teacher, who lives in Bedford and was unharmed in the crash, added: “I’ve said before that I’d probably say 90 per cent of the people on my carriage had injuries, I’d probably say from three to four of us were uninjured in a full carriage.
“Everyone else had either a serious wound that was bleeding profusely, or a situation where they couldn’t stand, or couldn’t move their neck, or I saw a woman’s snapped leg.”
Watch: Police confirm nine in critical condition after train crash
Saturday 20 June 2026 18:00 , Alex CroftFirst responders worked 'under very challenging circumstances' - chief nurse
Saturday 20 June 2026 17:30 , Alex CroftWe earlier heard from Royal College of Nursing general secretary and chief executive professor Nicola Ranger, who was the latest to pay her respects to those impacted by the fatal Bedford train crash.
“Our thoughts and wishes are with all of those affected by this tragic incident, particularly with the family, friends and colleagues of the driver who lost his life,” she said.
“We also send our thanks to the first responders who acted so quickly, including the nursing staff, some of whom came in whilst off duty to care for the injured.
“They no doubt worked under very challenging circumstances to care for all those affected.”
'Complex recovery operation' ahead, says Network Rail chief
Saturday 20 June 2026 17:01 , Alex CroftThere will be a “complex recovery operation” following the train crash near Bedford, Ellie Burrows, regional managing director of Network Rail East, told a press conference earlier.
“This will be a complex recovery operation,” she said on Saturday afternoon.
“We have significant railway resources deployed on the ground and teams from across the industry are working closely together to support the response, recover the railway safely and minimise disruption wherever possible.
The focus, she said, is on “supporting those affected and working with the relevant authorities as they investigate what happened”.
Ms Burrows advised people to check National Rail Enquiries and operator websites for the latest travel information.
Watch: Bedford train crash passenger captures collision aftermath on video
Saturday 20 June 2026 16:29 , Alex CroftPolice and rail authorities remain on the scene
Saturday 20 June 2026 16:00 , Alex CroftPolice and network rail crews remain at the scene of the fatal train crash near Bedford.
Reporters have been permitted to enter a field next to the railway line to get a closer view of the scene.
The front of the train from Corby has been crushed where it collided with the rear of the train from Nottingham.
On the rear train, which has Luton Airport Express livery, there is visible damage to the rear of the carriages which have been shunted into ones in front.
Most of the carriage doors are open on both trains.
There is a gap in the hedges where crews are accessing the tracks.
Latest pictures from the scene near Bedford
Saturday 20 June 2026 15:27 , Alex Croft
Fire chief offers condolences to family of driver after 'substantial emergency response'
Saturday 20 June 2026 14:55 , Alex CroftWe’ve heard from Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service chief fire officer, Andy Hopkinson, who offered his condolences for the family and loved ones of the killed train driver.
He told a press conference near the scene of the rail crash: “Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service was called at 5.14pm to reports of a collision involving two passenger trains just south of Bedford.
“We mobilised over 20 fire appliances and specialist vehicles and at the height of the response, over 70 firefighters and specialist officers were involved at the scene. This included specialist resources from neighbouring services.
He added that it was a “major incident, requiring a substantial and co-ordinated emergency response”.
Nine in critical condition after more than 80 hospitalised - BTP chief
Saturday 20 June 2026 14:25 , Alex CroftMore than 80 people were treated at hospital following the fatal train crash near Bedford on Friday night, British Transport Police Chief Constable Lucy D’Orsi said.
As of Saturday lunchtime, 28 remain in hospital with nine in a critical condition.
She told reporters at a press conference near the scene: “I’d like to thank the ambulance service and the National Health Service for their response.
“There will, of course, be a lot of questions as to what exactly happened last night. I would really like to reassure everyone that specialist investigators from British Transport Police are working with colleagues at the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to gather the facts and determine what has happened.“
