Manchester railway line crash: Everything train bosses amid mass cancellations

Rail passengers are facing major disruption after a car crashed onto the railway tracks in Salford. Images show a black BMW landed on its roof off the Regent Road roundabout at 2am this morning (February 7).

The driver, a man in his 30s, was taken to hospital for treatment. His injuries are not thought to be serious. He was also arrested on suspicion of drink driving.

In a statement, Network Rail confirmed services would be cancelled on the line through Eccles for most of the day. The company said 'significant damage' had been caused to the overhead cables on the line.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “In the early hours of this morning, a car crashed on to the railway near Regent Road Roundabout in Salford causing significant damage to the railway and overhead electric cables that provide power to trains. As a result of this incident, no trains are able to run on the Chat Moss line between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly, impacting Transport for Wales, TransPennine Express and Northern train services.

"Our engineers are on site working with the British Transport Police to remove the vehicle from the tracks and are assessing the situation in order to repair the damaged cables as quickly as possible, however the line is expected to be closed for the majority of the day. We’re really sorry to any passengers affected by this incident and urge anyone planning to travel by train between Liverpool and Manchester to plan ahead and check with their train operator for the latest travel information.”

Rail replacement buses are in use between Newton-le-Willows and Manchester. The car has now been lifted from the tracks, but repairs are ongoing.

National Rail says services are being cancelled throughout the day. A