Car hit by train at level crossing in Leicestershire 14/10/26

[JonnySeagull]

A woman was taken to hospital with minor injuries after a car was hit by a freight train on a level crossing in Leicestershire.

British Transport Police (BTP) said it was called to the crossing in Rearsby at about 20:35 BST on Tuesday.

Network Rail said the vehicle had become "stranded" at the crossing, and that the driver had got out of the car before the crash.

A BTP spokesperson said the woman was the only person in the vehicle, and she was taken to hospital to be assessed.

She was assisted out of the car by members of the public before emergency services arrived.

Inquiries are ongoing to establish why the vehicle was on the tracks, the spokesperson added.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c63r5pdpnl1xo

Not seen anything about this on here yet. Fortunately the driver was out of the car before it was hit, apparently they turned onto the rail tracks thinking the level crossing was a road junction. I have seen pictures that aren't in the news report but I'm not sure if I'm OK to share them yet, it was 66019 that was involved.

Edit-Attached a picture of the condition of the car following the incident

 

[Rail2002]

And that is why you don't mess around on the railway. That car won't be turning a wheel again. Hope the train driver is ok after the shock.

 

[JonnySeagull]

And that is why you don't mess around on the railway. That car won't be turning a wheel again. Hope the train driver is ok after the shock.

I didn't see any reference to the driver in the news report or from the person who showed me the pictures so hopefully they're OK.

 

[Towers]

Hopefully the motorist will have their licence removed. Jesus

 

[norbitonflyer]

I didn't see any reference to the driver in the news report or from the person who showed me the pictures so hopefully they're OK.

The BBC report says the driver had already got out of the car before it was hit

 

[JonnySeagull]

The BBC report says the driver had already got out of the car before it was hit

Sorry, I wasn't very clear, I meant no reference to the driver of the train. A member of the public helped the driver of the car out of their vehicle before the impact fortunately.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Hopefully the motorist will have their licence removed. Jesus

We don’t actually know why the car was on the crossing, it might be driver error, it might be mechanical, it might even be railway error.

I’m just glad everyone seems to be ok.

 

[JonnySeagull]

We don’t actually know why the car was on the crossing, it might be driver error, it might be mechanical, it might even be railway error.

I’m just glad everyone seems to be ok.

I do know someone involved with the aftermath of the incident and apparently the driver got confused and thought that the crossing was a road junction and attempted to turn onto the railway. The car then got stuck and someone helped the driver out before the impact (thankfully) which pushed the car approximately half a mile. I have seen pictures of the immediate aftermath but it was requested that I don't share them.

 

[Ediswan]

We don’t actually know why the car was on the crossing, it might be driver error, it might be mechanical, it might even be railway error.

The car damage looks very much like it was hit from behind (not the more common side-on). That constrains the plausible scenarios..

 

[Tetchytyke]

I do know someone involved with the aftermath of the incident and apparently the driver got confused and thought that the crossing was a road junction and attempted to turn onto the railway.

Thanks, that would tie in with the damage being more at the back of the car. I really do hope everyone, especially the driver of the train, was ok.

 

[sharpley]

Looks like it was the Luton Crescent Road - Mountsorrel service involved. 18 minutes early passing Frisby signal box, 399 mins late passing Syston East Junction.

 

[38Cto15E]

I have been known to have spent time watching train ops at this location. Network did well to get the car back to the crossing, maybe they summoned one of those Merc type rail/road thingies.
One time I was there and the barriers came down, I got my camera out and nothing happened rail wise. after about 15 minutes the cars both sides were getting frustrated so I went to the phone and rang the controllers.
They said the Intermodal was having some adhesion problems but would be along shortly and all eventually cleared.
Maybe the driver had been to the pub in Thrussington for Early Doors.

 

[Spartacus]

Looks like it was the Luton Crescent Road - Mountsorrel service involved. 18 minutes early passing Frisby signal box, 399 mins late passing Syston East Junction.

Driver probably thinking he'd get an early finish massing through Melton....

I did initially wonder if they might have come around the corner too fast and lost control, but with no apparent damage to the fencing it seems the driver's explanation of a wrong turn is more likely. "Turn right AFTER the level crossing"? Isn't there some nunnery or convent or something around there?

The photo of the aftermath, as well as another I've seen of the 66 looking like it's trying to mount the Audi, would be good to use on publicity of the dangers of crossing misuse, especially as there were no injuries involved.

Lucky it slid along the railhead really, given it travelled about half a mile, if there's been some sort of obstruction like a bridge, or it had dug into the ballast it might not have ended so well.