Level crossing incident near Ely 03/03/26

[Magdalia]

BBC News are reporting a collision at Dimmocks Cote level crossing, between Waterbeach and Ely, see here:

One dead after crash at level crossing at Stretham, near Ely

National Rail says disruption to lines between Cambridge North and Ely will continue until this afternoon.

www.bbc.co.uk

One person has died after a crash at a level crossing.

British Transport Police (BTP) said it was called to Dimmocks Cote level crossing on the A1123 at Stretham, near Ely, Cambridgeshire, at about 10:15 GMT on Tuesday after reports of a collision involving a train and a car.

"Officers responded alongside paramedics and sadly a person has been pronounced dead at the scene," said a BTP spokesperson.

Rail operator Great Northern said all lines between Cambridge North and Ely were blocked.

The train appears to be 0925 Stansted-Birmingham 1N49.

 

[Magdalen Road]

I'm trying to work out whether to go Kings Cross to Cambridge North for the rail replacement bus to Ely or LNER to Peterborough and XC to Ely. There's a gap in the Peterborough - Ely service so could end up stranded there. Particularly as it's short trains.

 

[InkyScrolls]

Appears to have been service 1N49

 

[MarkyT]

It is an AHBC (automatic half barrier crossing). Straight clear road sightlines on both approaches, A junction 80m to the east (no doubt deliberately placed there away from the crossing) accesses a marina, so will occasionally have large vehicles turning, carrying boats.

 

[Magdalen Road]

The road is used by tractors and lorries with the surface along the A1123 in poor condition. Subsidence and potholes. There's a slight hump in the road either side of the crossing.

 

[cats_five]

The road is used by tractors and lorries with the surface along the A1123 in poor condition. Subsidence and potholes. There's a slight hump in the road either side of the crossing.

I'm struggling with how the road surface might have a bearing on this very sad incident.

 

[milooo]

The road is used by tractors and lorries with the surface along the A1123 in poor condition. Subsidence and potholes. There's a slight hump in the road either side of the crossing.

I've been to the Crossing before and there is more than a slight hump iirc. There are blind spots where you cannot see trains due to a house in the way

 

[Port Road]

I've been to the Crossing before and there is more than a slight hump iirc. There are blind spots where you cannot see trains due to a house in the way

Flashing red lights and lowered barriers tell you there's a train coming.

 

[Horizon22]

Disruption is expected until the end of the day. Given the nature of the incident, wouldn’t be surprised if it went into tomorrow. RAIB are involved.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Mar 2026 ==

I've been to the Crossing before and there is more than a slight hump iirc. There are blind spots where you cannot see trains due to a house in the way

You don’t need to “see trains”. The barrier lowering and the red lights do that for you.

 

[furnessvale]

I've been to the Crossing before and there is more than a slight hump iirc. There are blind spots where you cannot see trains due to a house in the way

If you can see a train........it is too late!

 

[edwin_m]

There have been crossing incidents in the past where low sun was a factor. That might be the case here.

 

[norbitonflyer]

I'm struggling with how the road surface might have a bearing on this very sad incident.

Could be a lorry getting grounded? Although looking at Street View it doesn't look very likely at that particular crossing. Something getting entangled in the wires is possible. (i note the train involved was a Cross Country service, which would not have been reliant on the overhead power cables

 

[SuperS16v]

Could be a lorry getting grounded? Although looking at Street View it doesn't look very likely at that particular crossing. Something getting entangled in the wires is possible. (i note the train involved was a Cross Country service, which would not have been reliant on the overhead power cables

There’s ITV drone footage of the area and it was a car that was hit. Quite badly, from the wreckage shown.

 

[father_jack]

There’s ITV drone footage of the area and it was a car that was hit. Quite badly, from the wreckage shown.

https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2026-03-03/one-dead-after-train-hits-car-at-level-crossing

One dead after train hits car at level crossing at Stretham near Ely
Anglia
Ely
Cambridgeshire
trains
Tuesday 3 March 2026 at 3:32pm
A person has died after a train hit a car at a level crossing in Ely, Cambridgeshire.
Credit: ITV News Anglia.
A person has died after a train hit a car at a level crossing at Stretham near Ely, Cambridgeshire.
Credit: ITV News Anglia
A person has died after a train hit a car at a level crossing.

Emergency services were called to the Dimmocks Cote level crossing south of Stretham near Ely, Cambridgeshire after reports of a crash at about 10.15am on the A1123 Newmarket Road.

British Transport Police and paramedics responded and police confirmed that one person was pronounced dead at the scene.

Another person suffered minor injuries, added the force.

The railway line was closed while investigations continued, with services passing through the Ely area affected.

A Network Rail spokesperson said on Tuesday afternoon that train services were expected to be severely disrupted "until further notice".

A drone image of the rail line crossing the road, with emergency services at the scene
Investigations are taking place at the crossing point.
Credit: ITV News Anglia
Aerial images show debris from the vehicle strewn on the tracks, about 30 metres from the road crossing.

The train, which remains at the scene, was stopped a further 70 metres beyond the car, with officials seen examining the carriages.

The junction was equipped with both warning lights, an audible alarm and an automatic half barrier - a type of railway intersection where lifting barriers cover the left-hand side of the road on both sides of the track.

They are designed to allow traffic to exit the crossing even after the barriers have lowered, preventing vehicles from being trapped.

Approximately 180 trains a day pass through Dimmock Cote junction with the speed limit 75mph, according to The ABC Railway guide.

Passengers on board the three-carriage train involved in the crash were transferred to a coach to complete their journey.

CrossCountry, Great Northern and Greater Anglia services have been suspended between Cambridge North and Ely. Waterbeach will not be served, said operators.

A spokesperson for CrossCountry said: “We are aware of an incident this morning involving one of our trains at a level crossing near Ely, where one person has sadly died at the scene.

"Our priority is the safety of colleagues and passengers, and we are working with emergency services and Network Rail to manage the situation safely and support those onboard.

“Train services between Cambridge and Ely are expected to be severely disrupted. Please check your journey with National Rail Enquiries before travelling.”

 

[Trainman40083]

There have been crossing incidents in the past where low sun was a factor. That might be the case here.

Personally, if there was low sun, I'd make 100% certain the crossing was clear...But that said, there was such a case at Egginton in Derbyshire many years ago.

 

[Obar123]

The road is humpy poor between the rails so you have to slow down a lot to go over it, or you wreck your suspension. I go over it every day and it seems to be getting worse. The barriers look intact from Look East just now, so must have stopped on the crossing or gone around the barriers.

 

[Steve Harris]

I've been to the Crossing before and there is more than a slight hump iirc. There are blind spots where you cannot see trains due to a house in the way

You are probably correct, as back in the late 80's a articulated lorry trailer got beached on the crossing and was hit by a Class 150 DMU which my mate was on. He ended up with a broken pelvis and months in Addenbrookes hospital!

I have no idea if 'the humps' have been smoothed out since then.

According to the local BBC News programme on TV tonight it is due to be upgraded to full barriers.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 3 Mar 2026 ==

There have been crossing incidents in the past where low sun was a factor. That might be the case here.

I doubt it, as sunrise is currently around 7am and the accident happened a little after 10 am.

 

[Spartacus]

Eyewitness reports from other motorists suggest this was a clear cut case of impatience.

 

[Steve Harris]

There’s ITV drone footage of the area and it was a car that was hit. Quite badly, from the wreckage shown.

Bearing in mind that the Fire Service has probably cut the roof/doors* off to extract the injured passenger and deceased thereby making the damage look worse than immediately after the crash.

*Delete which isn't applicable

 

[Sleepy]

Eyewitness reports from other motorists suggest this was a clear cut case of impatience.

Internal industry sources are reporting the same information.

 

[DR18037]

My initial thoughts were that the driver may have blindly followed traffic ahead onto the crossing and become stranded. It sounds stupid but you see alot of people these days just blindly following the next vehicle into junctions only to get stranded when the next cycle of lights begins. I'm sure the RAIB report will reveal all

On a note to the situation as of this posting 19:30 the set, 170623, is making slow progress back towards Cambridge North in the reverse direction. I've not seen any footage of the leading cab however the rear cab should / looks to be untouched. I would imagine they will find a comfy parking spot for it tonight in Coldham Lane.

As for tommorow morning, XC only have I believe a 3 operational units on the Cambridge end of the closure, with 5 usually needed to start a full service the next day. So that may be something to keep in mind for any commuters to Peterborough / Leicester / Beyond. I believe from RTT data it looks like 1L50 (1722 Brum - Stansted) is going to try to get through to Stansted and go into Coldham Lane which makes 4 units I believe. I could be wrong however, because its been a long day of VSTPs.


Edit / Additional: Cambridge end units look to be 170104 / 107 / 623 (Potentially out of service) / and I think I remember seeing one up in platform 6 on the signal maps earlier today as an ECS.

1L50 won't be making it to Cambridge as they've given that unit to pair up with 1N69 (2015 Ely - Brum)

 

[dk1]

Dimmocks Cote along with Milton Fen, Waterbeach & Croxton are planned to eventually become MCB-ODs.

 

[saismee]

Just to confirm, was the fatality in the car or the train?

 

[dk1]

Just to confirm, was the fatality in the car or the train?

Car.

 

[DR18037]

*Edit to alter info

6Y91, an engineers train booked via WAML tonight has been sent down the Soham line. Clearly they have no intention of handing the line back any time soon.

 

[mmh]

Could we not be a tad more sensitive and respectful?

Make factual comments about the crossing, but supposition about what caused this seems wrong until the relevant authorities give more information in the course of time. Comments on the Internet can be forever, and read by those grieving.

 

[Mag_seven]

I think this thread is best locked to avoid supposition and wait until the accident investigators have completed their work. When this happens we will reopen the thread.

thanks all.

mods note edit - we believe after information received by a trusted member that the RAIB will not be involved in investigating this.