Wales train crash: Pensioner, 66, killed in horror train smash had 'just begun to travel' with wife

Tudor Evans, 66, was killed erstwhile passengers were thrown crossed a carriage successful the fearfulness smash connected Monday evening. He and his woman Rachel had “just begun to question aft galore years of work"

A rider who died aft two trains collided on a azygous way successful Wales was a keen cyclist who had "just begun to travel", according to his heartbroken friends.

Tudor Evans, 66, died from a bosom onslaught aft passengers were thrown crossed a carriage successful the fearfulness smash on Monday evening. Friend Iestyn Leyshon said Mr Evans, from Aberystwyth, westbound Wales, had been a keen upland biker who and was “extremely saddened” that helium would “never spot him connected his bike” again.

He told S4C Mr Evans and his woman Rachel had “just begun to question aft galore years of enactment and past this tragedy happens”. Mr Evans’ household thanked well-wishers for their “kind messages and support” arsenic they asked for privacy.

Rail lines were closed arsenic investigators effort to portion unneurotic however the 2 trains came unneurotic successful the caput connected clang successful Mid Wales - arsenic further services were cancelled implicit way conditions. Mr Evans was killed having been travelling connected the 18.31 work from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth.

British Transport Police antecedently confirmed helium was a rider and not a subordinate of the bid crew. A BTP spokesperson said: "Sadly, a antheral successful his 60s has died pursuing the collision.

"The circumstances starring up to his decease are nether investigation. His adjacent of kin person been informed and his household are being supported by specializer officers.

"While ceremonial recognition has not taken spot helium is not believed to beryllium a subordinate of obstruction staff. Our thoughts stay with his loved ones and we kindly inquire they are fixed privateness astatine this time.

A further 15 radical were taken to infirmary with injuries not believed to beryllium beingness threatening oregon beingness changing. All different passengers were safely evacuated. Rail chiefs said the enactment would stay closed until astatine slightest Saturday arsenic investigations continue.

A associated connection from Network Rail and Transport for Wales: “The Cambrian enactment betwixt Machynlleth and Shrewsbury volition stay closed until astatine slightest the extremity of Friday 25 October pursuing a collision betwixt 2 trains connected Monday night.

“The incidental is presently nether probe by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch and volition determination to a betterment cognition to region the affected trains implicit the coming days.

“Both TfW and Network Rail would similar to explicit our heartfelt acknowledgment to everyone successful the section assemblage for the overwhelming level of enactment they person provided during this hard incident.

“A replacement autobus cognition volition stay successful spot calling astatine each stations connected the way and customers should cheque earlier they question and let for journeys to instrumentality longer than usual.

“Services betwixt Machynlleth and Pwllheli/Aberystwyth and betwixt Shrewsbury and Birmingham International volition proceed to tally arsenic planned.”

Witnesses accidental it seemed arsenic though 1 bid was incapable to halt astatine a passing spot connected the enactment and "slid" down the way into the way of the on-coming train.

One adept said they feared leaves connected the enactment could person prevented the trains from stopping successful the bedewed autumnal conditions.
The clang progressive the 2 Transport for Wales services adjacent Llanbrynmair, Powys and progressive the 6.31pm work from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and the 7.09pm from Machynlleth to Shrewsbury.

Travel adept Rhodri Clark said: "Seeing the pictures reminds maine of an mishap 3 years agone successful Salisbury; determination were 2 trains of the aforesaid benignant that had collided, and 1 of the causes determination was that the tracks were slippery due to the fact that determination were leaves that had fallen and that determination is slime on the apical of the rails."

One rider said helium was thrown guardant with specified unit that erstwhile his assemblage struck the array successful beforehand it ripped its legs from its bolts and pictures amusement 1 carriage divided unfastened from the crash.

Anthony Hurford said helium was connected the Shrewsbury-bound bid and penning an email connected his laptop erstwhile the collision happened astatine astir 7.29pm.

He said: "The connection that keeps coming into my caput is conscionable brutal really. Just going from... I don't cognize however accelerated we were going, possibly 40, possibly 50, 60, miles per hr to thing successful the blink of the eye.

"Somehow my assemblage bent the limb of a array and ripped it disconnected its bolts attached to the wall. Suddenly I was connected the level with my laptop strewn up of maine wondering what the hellhole had happened.

"We had tried to halt astatine the lights astatine the apical of the elevation there's a awesome which I conjecture would person been a passing place, but for immoderate crushed the bid wouldn't stop."

Anthony said up to 30-40 firefighters attended the country on with British Transport Police officers and 3 helicopters.
He added: "I was checked by 3 oregon 4 antithetic medics."

Ifan Edwards, who lives adjacent the scene, said helium was alerted to the clang erstwhile helium saw bluish lights passing his house.

He said: "We thought 'hang connected thing has happened' and we noticed a policeman starting to enactment signs extracurricular the location and we could perceive connected his vigor that they were saying determination had been a bid incident.
"We walked down and we could spot the 2 trains stopped further down.

"The aerial ambulance came archetypal and past we had 2 coastguard helicopters landing conscionable successful beforehand of the house, each unloading paramedics and a batch of kit coming retired of the helicopters into constabulary vehicles and they were taken down to the incident.
"It is simply a astonishment that thing similar this has happened."

Powys County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan who represents the Glantwymyn ward said that it "seemed to beryllium the case" that 1 of the trains was incapable to halt astatine a passing place.

He added: "We privation to spot what the probe says. It is simply a substance of interest is that's the lawsuit but we privation to cognize the facts arsenic soon arsenic possible.

"It is simply a unsocial concern and it is precise highly antithetic that's wherefore we request to cognize those facts arsenic soon arsenic possible. There is simply a reasonably caller integer strategy to power velocity connected this way truthful we request to marque definite is that a factor, is it thing to bash with the bid itself, but evidently we privation to cognize that accusation arsenic soon arsenic possible.!