Inquiry after train hits buffers

An investigation has been launched after a train smashed into railway station buffers in Essex, injuring 31 people.

One passenger was taken to hospital with cracked ribs, another needed treatment at a nearby casualty unit for a suspected broken leg and a further 29 were treated at the track side for minor injuries.

They were among 400 rail enthusiasts on board a train being pulled by a diesel locomotive which hit the buffers at Walton on the Naze station in Essex on Monday.

A Railtrack spokesman said he understood the train was going slower than 10 mph when it hit the buffers.

Thank God it wasn't a major incident and everyone is pretty much OK

Peter Watts, Pathfinder Tours

The train was part of a special tour being operated by Gloucestershire-based rail company Pathfinder.

It was billed as a "farewell" to the Class 58 diesel-electric locomotives and was called the Bone Breaker rail tour - a reference to the nickname of the locomotive.

The train was due into Clacton after 1400 BST before returning to Crewe at 2255 BST.

Peter Watts, managing director of Pathfinder Tours, said: "As far as I'm aware, the train was just pulling up normally to the station but for some reason it hit the buffers at a very low speed.

"People were standing up to get off and a few of them took a tumble. Thank God it wasn't a major incident and everyone is pretty much OK."

Passengers scheduled to take the trip back to the Midlands and the North West were using normal services, he added.

British Transport Police said 29 people in total were treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Many of the passengers went to the nearby Walton Tavern pub following the incident at 1350 BST.

'Little shaken'

Pub manager Trent Kelly said: "They seemed okay, just a little shaken.

"They were train spotters who had paid to go on this train before it was decommissioned.

"They drank a few pints and some coffees to calm down and then went on their way."

Part of the same station was demolished when a train crashed into the buffers at 50 mph in August 1987, injuring nine people.