King 'greatly saddened' by Bedford train crash and sends 'thoughts and sympathies' to victims
A train driver was killed and 33 other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries
The King has expressed that he is "greatly saddened" by the train crash near Bedford that killed one and left more than 80 injured.
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The crash involved two East Midlands Railway (EMR) services, when one smashed into the back of the other on the same line shortly after 5pm on Friday.
A passenger on board one of the trains reported being “flung into the chair in front, and then I saw smoke”.
A train driver was killed and 33 other people were taken to hospital with serious injuries, British Transport Police said.
A further 56 people sustained minor injuries.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “His Majesty is greatly saddened by the rail crash in Bedford yesterday evening and is being kept regularly updated on developments.
“His thoughts and sympathies are with the family of the deceased and with all those injured or affected by such a tragic incident.”
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Network Rail, which manages Britain’s rail infrastructure, said its “absolute priority” was ensuring “everyone receives the care and support they need”.
Most carriages of the two southbound trains remained on the tracks but at least one derailed.
The two trains involved were operating the 4.40pm departure from Corby and the 3.50pm departure from Nottingham, both to London St Pancras.
A team of Rail Accident Investigation Branch inspectors went to the site to gather evidence.
Police and a Rail Investigation Branch van remained at the scene on Saturday, and Ampthill Road was closed from the Interchange Retail Park roundabout to Manor Road in Kempston Hardwick.
A British Transport Police officer was standing by the road closure sign on the roundabout exit, to divert drivers.
The crash follows a collision between two trains in mid-Wales in October 2024 in which one passenger died and four other people were seriously hurt.
That was Britain’s first fatal crash involving multiple trains for more than a quarter of a century.
A passenger on board said he was feeling “angry” the morning after the crash.
Brett Byatt said: “Yesterday I was pretty, like, shocked.
“This morning, it feels surreal, and I think I’ve moved into the stage of anger now. I’m feeling pretty angry.”
He added: “I don’t know at whom, who specifically, but it’s more about we’ve got one of the oldest railway networks and signal failures happen a lot, and now I’m just wondering… why wasn’t that signalled to my train and why did that train driver lose his life over this?”