The Bedford collision, recovery process discussion.

[Cowley]

This is obviously going to be quite a complex operation and a couple of people have requested that we have a discussion about this, but we felt it better to have it in a new thread.
From Network Rail itself:

Bedford train collision – site photos for media

Photo download link: https://we.tl/t-xfy9ShPOSvqVKi5B

www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk

Network Rail has released the following site photos from the scene of the train collision in Bedford. The photos were taken on Sunday 21 June 2026.

A complex recovery operation has begun to remove the damaged trains and carriages from the railway before engineers assess any damage and complete necessary repairs. The Overhead Line Equipment – the electrical wires that provide power to the electric trains – must be removed while a temporary access road and concrete foundation is constructed to support the operation of a crane.

Two 110 tonne rail-mounted Kirow Cranes will then lift the trains and carriages from the site before a road-mounted crane moves them onto a low loader – a heavy-duty, specialised trailer designed to carry extremely heavy equipment – to be transported away by road. Following this, engineers will then assess the track and make any repairs before reinstating the overhead lines and completing final safety checks ahead of reopening the railway.

Notes to Editors​

• The photos can be accessed via the following WeTransfer link: https://we.tl/t-xfy9ShPOSvqVKi5B

 

[GRALISTAIR]

A complex recovery operation has begun to remove the damaged trains and carriages from the railway before engineers assess any damage and complete necessary repairs. The Overhead Line Equipment – the electrical wires that provide power to the electric trains – must be removed while a temporary access road and concrete foundation is constructed to support the operation of a crane.

Wow. That is complex. In all my years I never realised it could be that involved. Incredible array of photos - even having to install portable toilets on site.

 

[Taunton]

Wow. That is complex. In all my years I never realised it could be that involved. Incredible array of photos - even having to install portable toilets on site.

Time was when a Class 08 would propel the mess vans to the site, with all of that, refreshment room, generator, tool vans, and more, generally within a couple of hours ...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jun 2026 ==

Mm I suppose building a temporary road does look very dramatic but in practice it's relatively quick and easy.

The cost for compensating the farmer for ruining their field will be quite considerable.

 

[JKF]

I do wonder if there would be a way of moving them laterally to avoid removing the OHLE, but then that’s likely to need repairs anyway so probably not that beneficial.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Don't such damaged coaches end up at places like Crewe works, where they can be inspected in detail and out of public sight?
Wolverton would be fairly close.

 

[Horizon22]

One thing to note is whether the extremely high temperatures may also slow down the work somewhat with mandated breaks etc.

 

[DarloRich]

Time was when a Class 08 would propel the mess vans to the site, with all of that, refreshment room, generator, tool vans, and more, generally within a couple of hours

That came with the Kirow cranes. IRC it is on the flat wagon behind the loco.

You still need facilities for other workers ( like those doing the ground work) and a portapotty and welfare cabin is easy enough to arrange and remove. Going behind the bush is frowned upon these days.

The cost for compensating the farmer for ruining their field will be quite considerable.

I am sure they wont mind the extra cash.

Tarmac's huge Elstow aggregate off loading load terminal

they might not be able to or want their site shutting down for a week!

 

[GRALISTAIR]

One thing to note is whether the extremely high temperatures may also slow down the work somewhat with mandated breaks etc.

Agreed. Situation is tragic enough without workers suffering heat exhaustion/dehydration etc.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Go back less than 30yrs and this would have been recovered using breakdown cranes. DB operated the last one in the UK at Toton but is that still in service I wonder. Anyhow even here where good road access is nearby they are going to need 2-3 days preparation before being ready to commence lifting operations which would have been less historically with rail cranes. I get from preservation of the vehicles for further examination removing them without further interference to the structure lends itself to road recovery but should this be default now for all derailments.

 

[800001]

Go back less than 30yrs and this would have been recovered using breakdown cranes. DB operated the last one in the UK at Toton but is that still in service I wonder. Anyhow even here where good road access is nearby they are going to need 2-3 days preparation before being ready to commence lifting operations which would have been less historically with rail cranes. I get from preservation of the vehicles for further examination removing them without further interference to the structure lends itself to road recovery but should this be default now for all derailments.

At least one carriage of the 360 has been lifted and is sitting in the field, a Gbrf 66 used to pull the 360 clear of the 810.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

At least one carriage of the 360 has been lifted and is sitting in the field, a Gbrf 66 used to pull the 360 clear of the 810.

So the fact the 360 could still be moved shows good resilience of the train design except for the cab area which is really tragic. I wonder if RAIB will kook at whether the strength of the 810 cab meant it caused more damage to 360 cab.

 

[dk1]

At least one carriage of the 360 has been lifted and is sitting in the field, a Gbrf 66 used to pull the 360 clear of the 810.

Yes I saw a drone shot of that although I questioned if it was real as the 360 vehicle in the field did look quite right. Hope it is though as shows recovery work is progressing well.

 

[Liam L]

The cost for compensating the farmer for ruining their field will be quite considerable.

I'm sure the farmer doesn't mind, getting money on a field which looks like he had nothing planted in it anyway

 

[dk1]

I'm sure the farmer doesn't mind, getting money on a field which looks like he had nothing planted in it anyway

Yes and in such situations cost isn’t something that would even be worthy of consideration. The compensation to that farmer is negligible in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Bald Rick]

The cost for compensating the farmer for ruining their field will be quite considerable.

That will be peanuts in the scheme of things. Farmers are usually very receptive to receiving money now as compensation for crops lost that they may or may not have got a good price for in a couple of months time, and he/she saves the hassle of harvesting.

The field concerned is about 5-6 hectares, so somewhere in the region of 40tonnes of wheat (if that’s what’s planted), worth about £10k.

 

[Vexed]

Yes I saw a drone shot of that although I questioned if it was real as the 360 vehicle in the field did look quite right. Hope it is though as shows recovery work is progressing well.

If it is these from Wandering Northerner then I would trust that it is a genuine image.

Wandering Northerner

Work to remove the trains from the East Midland Railway collision at Bedford is well underway with carriages removed from the track. The railway is expected to remain closed until the end of...

www.facebook.com

Work to remove the trains from the East Midland Railway collision at Bedford is well underway with carriages removed from the track.
The railway is expected to remain closed until the end of engineering works next weekend with bus replacement services in place on East Midland Railway and Thameslink.

Drone image from Wandering Northener showing a very tall yellow crane hovering over a single class 360 vehicle in a farmer's field, next to the MML where it looks like the rear 3 class 360 and all 810 vehicles remain.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 22 Jun 2026 ==

BBC have a video showing two 360s in the field now and also the damage to the nose of the 810.

2.4K views · 17 reactions | Engineers have been working to recover the wreckage of the passenger trains involved in a fatal crash near Bedford on Friday. Network Rail said the line was expected to remain closed between Bedford and Luton until 28 Jun

Engineers have been working to recover the wreckage of the passenger trains involved in a fatal crash near Bedford on Friday. Network Rail said the line was expected to remain closed between Bedford...

www.facebook.com

 

[dk1]

If it is these from Wandering Northerner then I would trust that it is a genuine image.

Wandering Northerner

Work to remove the trains from the East Midland Railway collision at Bedford is well underway with carriages removed from the track. The railway is expected to remain closed until the end of...

www.facebook.com

Drone image from Wandering Northener showing a very tall yellow crane hovering over a single class 360 vehicle in a farmer's field, next to the MML where it looks like the rear 3 class 360 and all 810 vehicles remain.

Thank you. Glad it’s genuine.

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes I saw a drone shot of that although I questioned if it was real as the 360 vehicle in the field did look quite right. Hope it is though as shows recovery work is progressing well.

I think the reason it looks odd is that the second set of doors is open on both sides. I thought it looked odd at first, but that’s possibly the main reason?

 

[dk1]

I think the reason it looks odd is that the second set of doors is open on both sides. I thought it looked odd at first, but that’s possibly the main reason?

Yes that along with how dark it looked around the bogie at the vestibule end.

 

[swt_passenger]

Go back less than 30yrs and this would have been recovered using breakdown cranes. DB operated the last one in the UK at Toton but is that still in service I wonder. Anyhow even here where good road access is nearby they are going to need 2-3 days preparation before being ready to commence lifting operations which would have been less historically with rail cranes. I get from preservation of the vehicles for further examination removing them without further interference to the structure lends itself to road recovery but should this be default now for all derailments.

I’ve just seen on the recently linked BBC video a vehicle being lifted slightly above the track by tandem Kirow rail cranes. That seems very like ‘recovery by rail cranes‘ to me. Are you thinking they should be moving much further, which would require miles of the OHLE to be removed?

I guess BR didn’t use those massive high capacity road cranes because they weren’t yet in widespread use? I’m sure someone explained here a few years ago that there was no point in keeping the old style breakdown cranes in active service. I suppose that’s why so many heritage railways have one…

 

[edwin_m]

I’m sure someone explained here a few years ago that there was no point in keeping the old style breakdown cranes in active service. I suppose that’s why so many heritage railways have one…

They were sometimes also used for engineering work, so perhaps just the historic equivalent of the modern Kirow, which has the advantage of being able to do many jobs under OLE.

When was the last time a derailed rail vehicle had to be recovered by crane? The answer to that may help answer why it's not worthwhile for the railway to keep such equipment on standby in case of a need.

 

[D365]

Agree with the above comments, and I will also point out that each Kirow crane is always accompanied by a comprehensive lift plan.

 

[swt_passenger]

They were sometimes also used for engineering work, so perhaps just the historic equivalent of the modern Kirow, which has the advantage of being able to do many jobs under OLE.

When was the last time a derailed rail vehicle had to be recovered by crane? The answer to that may help answer why it's not worthwhile for the railway to keep such equipment on standby in case of a need.

That’s a good point. The Kirow types are optimised for handling stuff like track panels at low headroom, operating along the track, using the extendable counterbalance, so are probably the preferred device for all maintenance and modification purposes, so the old type crane would be redundant most of the time.

 

[PaxVobiscum]

Came across this on X. Apologies if this video already linked

We've begun the complex operation of removing damaged trains and carriages from the railway, to allow engineers to assess the damage and complete necessary repairs.

Mark Budden, East Midlands route director, explains the work involved:

 

[GraphitProjekt]

I suppose we can witness a rare and unusual benefit of Headspan electrification structures as the entire OLE support structure can effectively be disappeared. With an OLE type using MIR (and so requiring portals or TTCs) there is another complication to this kind of operation.

Tarmac's huge Elstow aggregate off loading load terminal (with Asphalt and Concrete batching plants) just to the east of the crash site which tick all those boxes. (and hidden behind trees)

As above pictures show, it's connected to the wrong track and so its proximity offers little benefit if the wreckage has to be carefully shunted to Bedford to then negotiate a some points and then go back

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I suppose we can witness a rare and unusual benefit of Headspan electrification structures as the entire OLE support structure can effectively be disappeared. With an OLE type using MIR (and so requiring portals or TTCs) there is another complication to this kind of operation.

That is a great point which I had not thought of.

 

[liamf656]

All 4 360 coaches and the rear 810 coach are now lined up in the field. Impressive progress for a day's work I think

 

[ainsworth74]

Go back less than 30yrs and this would have been recovered using breakdown cranes. DB operated the last one in the UK at Toton but is that still in service I wonder. Anyhow even here where good road access is nearby they are going to need 2-3 days preparation before being ready to commence lifting operations which would have been less historically with rail cranes. I get from preservation of the vehicles for further examination removing them without further interference to the structure lends itself to road recovery but should this be default now for all derailments.

There are literally two rail cranes on site right now working alongside the larger road crane to lift vehicles clear of the line of which at least around half of the total are already lifted.

Accident happened on Friday night, I would presume the earliest that Network Rail were able to get really going on preparing for the recovery was Saturday afternoon or even sometime on Sunday and by the middle of Monday they had vehicles being lifted clear.

I know people love going on about how it "back in the day they'd have had this sorted before supper" but I'm really not convinced that Network Rail are doing anything but moving at breakneck (but safe!) speed to get this cleared up. Perhaps we can give credit where it's due?

 

[dk1]

All 4 360 coaches and the rear 810 coach are now lined up in the field. Impressive progress for a day's work I think

This is terrific progress.

 

[DarloRich]

Go back less than 30yrs and this would have been recovered using breakdown cranes. DB operated the last one in the UK at Toton but is that still in service I wonder. Anyhow even here where good road access is nearby they are going to need 2-3 days preparation before being ready to commence lifting operations which would have been less historically with rail cranes. I get from preservation of the vehicles for further examination removing them without further interference to the structure lends itself to road recovery but should this be default now for all derailments.

There are 2 Kirow rail cranes in attendance. They are multi purpose items including breakdown cover. They are much more advanced than the old breakdown crane and have to operate in a much more, er, "constrained" environment both operationally and legally than in the olden days. The Kirow 1200's can lift 125 tonne and there are 2 of them on site. I think the Cowans Sheldon breakdown crane was 30 tonne lift.

The cranes were on site by Sunday afternoon. They will move the rail vehicles to a location where the bigger road crane can hoist them out into the field and things seem to be moving quickly.