The Ufton Nervet Rail Crash

The Ufton Nervet rail crash occurred 20 years ago today on November 6, 2004, near the village of Ufton Nervet in Berkshire, England. 

The Level Crossing pictured in 2012

A high-speed First Great Western train from London Paddington to Plymouth collided with a stationary car deliberately left on a level crossing by its driver. 

The crash tragically resulted in the deaths of seven people and injuries to 71 others. This incident remains one of the most devastating rail accidents in the UK in recent decades.

At around 18:12 GMT at a level crossing near Ufton Nervet, a First Great Western HST (High-Speed Train) carrying over 180 passengers struck a stationary car that had been driven onto the crossing and abandoned there by its driver.

Seven people died, including the car’s driver, the train driver, and five passengers, and there were 71 reported injuries, ranging from minor to severe.

The now-disused level crossing and replacement road bridge pictured in 2022

The car on the track had been deliberately abandoned by its driver in what was later determined to be a suicide attempt. 

The high-speed impact led to the train derailing and overturning, with multiple carriages coming off the track and causing extensive damage.