Passenger injured as East Midlands Railway train derailed by fallen tree at Thetford

One person has been injured and services have been disrupted after a train hit a tree on a track and was partially derailed.

An East Midlands train travelling between Liverpool Lime Street and Norwich hit the tree on the line as it was approaching the Hockham Road crossing between Thetford and Harling Road just after 9pm on Tuesday. 

All 31 passengers and staff were safely evacuated from the train.

One person was treated for a minor injury at the scene.

The front of train partly derailed but the carriages remained upright.

Pictures show the damage to the driver's carriage including a smashed windscreen.

The company is warning passengers of disruption on its trains on the Liverpool Lime Street/ Nottingham/ Norwich routes.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “One passenger was treated at the scene for a minor injury. All other passengers and crew on board were uninjured.

"Our teams have been on site throughout the night, assessing the situation and repairing the track. Both lines currently remain closed while the investigation continues.

"The train that struck the tree was re-railed earlier and is expected to move under its own [power] later this morning to a safe location.

The tree is being cut back and cleared, though disruption is expected all day between Ely and Norwich.

Passengers have been advised to check their journeys before travelling.

A spokesperson for East Midlands Railway said: “We would like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience during the incident as we took the necessary steps to ensure their safety. 

“There is still damage to the track which will be fully evaluated once the train is moved."

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said a team of inspectors were undertaking a preliminary examination of the crash site.

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