Shropshire Star

Major disruption to trains after tractor damages line

The vehicle went on to the railway near Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday night.

Published
Firefighters tackle the tractor

A tractor has caused major disruption to rail services after blocking tracks and damaging overhead wires.

The vehicle went on to the railway near Fitzwilliam, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday night.

Network Rail, the fire service and a specialist recovery service removed it from the line on Thursday morning but delays and cancellations were expected to continue until 6pm while infrastructure repairs took place.

Images of the scene show a large uprooted tree on top of the tractor.

London North Eastern Railway said the vehicle “has broken the field boundary from a nearby farm and caused the damage”.

British Transport Police said no injuries were reported and no arrests have been made, although the tractor driver will be interviewed “in due course”.

The incident happened on Wednesday night (Network Rail/PA)
The incident happened on Wednesday night (Network Rail/PA)

The affected services include:

– CrossCountry between Leeds and Reading/Plymouth and between Glasgow Central and Birmingham New Street

– London North Eastern Railway between Leeds and London King’s Cross

– Northern between Leeds and Doncaster/Sheffield

East Midlands Trains between Leeds and London St Pancras International were initially affected but a normal service has resumed.

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