Network Rail cites disruption after Birmingham Airport rail derailment
A freight train wagon derailed at low speed near bilbrook in the Wolverhampton area on Tuesday evening, damaging tracks and overhead power lines and disrupting rail services linked to Birmingham Airport. Nobody was injured and no other trains were involved, but the damage stopped some services and triggered replacement transport.
Adam Checkley, Network Rail's central route infrastructure director, said the derailment caused
“significant disruption”
“the work needed to reopen the railway as soon as possible”. He urged travellers through Wolverhampton, and especially to or from Shrewsbury, to check before they travel for the latest information.
Wolverhampton to Shrewsbury route
The wagon came off the tracks in Oxley, Wolverhampton, at about 20:30 BST. After overhead wires were damaged, no trains were running between Wolverhampton, Stafford and Shrewsbury. Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, London Northwestern Railway, Transport for Wales and West Midlands Railway services were affected.
Transport for Wales said its trains could not operate either way between Birmingham International and Shrewsbury, and it put rail replacement services in operation between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury. A bus shuttle service was also running between Birmingham and Wolverhampton via Darlaston and Willenhall.
Repairs through Thursday
West Midlands Railway said repairs following the incident may carry on until Thursday. The Rail Accident Investigation Branch is investigating how the train came off the tracks. Passengers delayed by 15 minutes or more as a result of the incident can claim compensation through the Delay Repay scheme.
For travellers using these routes, the immediate step is to check journey details before leaving, because services between Birmingham International, Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury were among those disrupted and replacement buses were already in use.
