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Almost 50 people had to be evacuated from a train when a fire broke out on board after it hit a mini digger.

Emergency services were called to the train near Craven Arms railway station in Shropshire at about 22:30 BST on Sunday.

British Transport Police said it was trying to establish how the excavator came to be on the tracks.

The line remains closed on Monday, causing disruption to services between Shrewsbury and Hereford.

Transport for Wales (TfW) said all 49 passengers were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported among them or their train crew.

The operator urged passengers to plan ahead, saying its services remain blocked between Shrewsbury and Newport, with disruption expected until the end of the day.

It said there was a limited number of replacement buses and advised passengers to use alternative rail services between Cardiff and Shrewsbury via Birmingham New Street.

Joshua Clarke tweeted he was on board the train and the bus driver "apparently got lost" coming to pick passengers up.

He added it took almost seven hours after the crash to reach his home in Hereford.

TfW said it organised replacement transport and apologised for the inconvenience.

A RAIL 'incident' closed the A49 overnight and will cause disruption for rail passengers throughout today.

A police spokesperson said officers were called to the aid of British Transport Police officers and the fire service at a rail incident in Craven Arms late last night (May 22).

A road closure was put in place on the A49 between the A489 near Strefford and the B4368 at Craven Arms while the incident was dealt with.

British Transport Police said officers were called to reports of a fire on a passenger train at just after 10.30pm yesterday.

The passengers were safely evacuated from the train and the fire put out.

"It is currently believed that the fire happened as a result of the train hitting a large object on the track. Enquiries into the incident are ongoing," the spokesperson said.

A fire service spokesperson said a Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service crew from Leintwardine and the service drone from Wyre Forest fire station were called at 11.02pm to support Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service at Craven Arms.

The Leintwardine crew was released from the scene at 1.42am, and we are seeking further information from Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service. 

Paramedics and the hazardous area response team were also sent to the scene, a spokesperson for West Midlands Ambulance Service confirmed.

“West Midlands Ambulance Service was called at 10.44pm to reports of a train involved in a collision at Craven Arms Level Crossing on Long Lane," the spokesperson said.

"We sent several resources to the scene, including the hazardous area response team, four paramedic officers and one ambulance. Crews arrived at the scene to find all passengers were safely out of their carriages after the incident. We treated one patient, a man, for minor injuries and he was discharged at the scene.”

A Highways Agency spokesperson confirmed the A49 was reopened just after 3am this morning.

Rail operator Transport for Wales said an operational incident between Hereford/Knighton and Shrewsbury means all lines are blocked this morning.

A spokesperson for Transport for Wales said: “The 8.43pm Crewe to Cardiff Central service was terminated after striking an object near Craven Arms.

“All 49 passengers on board were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported to customers or train crew. Replacement road transport was arranged so people could continue their journeys.

“Disruption to services is expected to continue into Monday afternoon and passengers are advised to check for the latest information before starting their journey.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.”

According to National Rail, trains will not run between Hereford and Shrewsbury and between Llandrindod and Shrewsbury today. Transport for Wales advise passengers not to travel on these affected routes if possible.

If you do need to travel, a limited replacement road transport service is in place between Hereford and Shrewsbury. Customers are advised to use alternative rail services.

We are seeking further information on the incident.

You may use your tickets on the following services to complete your journey:

Avanti West Coast between Crewe and Birmingham New Street

CrossCountry between Cardiff Central and Birmingham New Street

Great Western Railway between Cardiff Central and Bristol Parkway

West Midlands Railway between Shrewsbury / Crewe and Birmingham New Street

What I don’t understand about this is that if the blockage is at Craven Arms, why are no trains running north of Hereford so leaving Leominster and Ludlow not served

There's a Twitter report that miscreants engaged in theft of construction equipment saw fit to abandon an excavator on the railway line...

Mark

New photos show train's digger crash fire damage amid warning of after effects to services

The crash which saw a train catch fire after it hit an abandoned digger will impact services for the rest of the year, an operator has said.