Passenger killed and 15 others taken to hospital after two trains crash in Powys

British Transport Police (BTP) said emergency services were called to a railway line near Llanbrynmair at 7.29pm on Monday after a "low-speed" collision between two trains.

Personnel from multiple emergency services attended, including the Welsh Ambulance Service, Mid and West Wales Fire Service, Dyfed-Powys Police, and the HM Coastguard, along with support from the rail industry. Both trains were evacuated.

The BTP confirmed overnight that a man died following the collision. His next of kin have been informed and his family are being supported by specialist officers.

All other passengers were evacuated and a further 15 people were taken to hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening or life-changing.

Anthony Hurford, a passenger travelling to Shrewsbury on one of the ill-fated trains, said: "Somehow my body bent the leg of a table and ripped it off its bolts attached to the wall. Suddenly I was on the floor with my laptop strewn ahead of me wondering what the hell had happened."

BTP Superintendent Andrew Morgan said: “We can sadly confirm a man has died following this incident. We extend our deepest sympathies to his loved ones, alongside everyone else impacted and specialist officers continue to provide support.

“British Transport Police are working at pace, along with our colleagues in emergency services and the rail industry, to understand the circumstances leading up to this collision. Residents will see an increased policing presence in the area in the coming days as a result.”

The trains, which were both Class 158s operated by Transport for Wales (TfW), were the 6.31pm service from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and the 7.09pm service from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.

The crash happened on the Cambrian line in a rural location with a single track, close to a passing loop where trains travelling in opposite directions can pass each other.

Transport for Wales (TfW) said that the line will remain closed until "at least the end of Wednesday" with rail replacement buses in place.

Earlier on Monday TfW advised passengers that its services were running at reduced speeds through Dovey Junction station - which is on the same line - because previous trains reported the track was "extremely slippery".

The operator suspended all services on the separate Heart of Wales line on Tuesday "until further notice" due to "poor rail conditions".

Leaves cause major disruption every autumn when they stick to damp rails and become compressed by train wheels.

This creates a smooth, slippery layer similar to black ice on roads, reducing trains' grip.

Dyfed-Powys Police said in a statement: "While we no longer have a presence at the scene, we will continue to work with our emergency services colleagues and transport agencies while enquiries into the incident are ongoing."

Railway engineer Gareth Dennis said modern safety systems on Britain's railways mean there is "very little" that can cause a collision between two trains.

He told the PA news agency that investigators will "look very closely" at whether it was caused by "low adhesion" between train wheels and the track.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said a team of inspectors are at the site of Monday's crash, and it has launched an investigation.

The last incident in which a passenger died following a collision on Britain's railways was the derailment of a ScotRail train which hit a landslip in heavy rain in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire, in August 2020.

A passenger, driver and conductor died, and six other people were injured.

Network Rail and TfW said: "We are working closely with other agencies, including emergency services, to understand how this incident happened and they will have our full support."

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said: "Safety on our railways is my absolute priority and we are working at pace with Transport for Wales and Network Rail to understand what happened and how we can better prevent it going forward."

The Cambrian line east of Machynlleth will remain closed while specialist teams investigate the collision.