Train Driver Accelerated After Acknowledging Red Signal

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 2, 2026

A train driver accelerated after passing a red signal before colliding with a stationary train near Elstow, Bedfordshire, resulting in one death and over 160 injuries. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is examining data to understand the sequence of events, while East Midlands Railway pledges full cooperation with the ongoing investigation.

A train driver accelerated after acknowledging a red signal shortly before a fatal collision near Elstow, Bedfordshire, investigators have revealed. Shaun Burton, 60, died in the June accident, which injured more than 160 passengers when his East Midlands Railway (EMR) service struck a stationary train.

According to the interim report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB), data recorders showed the train reached a speed of 76 mph before the driver applied the full service brake approximately ten seconds prior to the crash. About two seconds later, with the two trains just 240 yards apart, Burton engaged the emergency brake. Both trains, carrying a combined total of around 257 people, derailed as a result of the collision.

An EMR spokesperson said the company would continue to cooperate fully with RAIB and carefully consider the findings of the investigation. The incident remains under review as the RAIB works to determine the sequence of events leading to the crash.

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