Delays after goods train derailed

No one was injured in the accident

A goods train carrying bottles of Guinness stout has derailed on the West Coast Main Line in Staffordshire.

The train's rear eight wagons came off the track at Huddlesford between Tamworth and Lichfield.

The line has been closed in both directions and trains are being diverted.

No one was injured in the accident, which happened at 1640 BST on Tuesday.

Journey delays

Sergeant Phil Hudson, of Staffordshire police, said: "The public were not put at risk at any time and the only man on the service, the driver, was uninjured."

A spokesman for Network Rail said four of the carriages of the train, operated by transport company Freightliner, had careered down an embankment.

Speed restrictions had earlier been imposed across the country after the hot weather caused rails "at a couple of other locations" to buckle, he said.

He said buckling was one of a number of possible causes of the derailment being checked by investigators.

Most inner city journeys between London and Stafford, in both directions, could be delayed by more than 40 minutes, the spokesman said.

He added the line could be closed for most of Wednesday.

Freight and passenger services are being diverted via Birmingham, adding about 30 minutes to journey times.