Lancashire trains cancelled after lorry hits railway bridge

A lorry has hit a railway bridge prompting Network Rail to urge drivers to know the height and size of their vehicles.

Five miles from Blackburn, near the Church and Oswaldtwistle railway station, a big goods car struck a bridge, resulting in the cancellation of rail services.
According to authorities, it occurred just before 10:00 BST and no one was hurt.
According to Network Rail, these kinds of occurrences could be “completely avoided” and “cost taxpayers millions of pounds every year”.
“Rail passengers faced needless train delays this morning after a heavy goods vehicle hit a railway bridge by Church and Oswaldtwistle station forcing us to stop trains for safety reasons,” a statement added.

The train route was reopened in little more than an hour after engineers dispatched to the scene discovered no structural damage to the bridge.
Network Rail added: “Bridge strikes like these cost taxpayers millions of pounds every year and can be completely avoided. “In order to prevent this kind of damage to our infrastructure, we implore drivers to always be aware of the height and size of their vehicles, including any items they may be carrying. We also ask drivers to properly plan their journeys.”

After this morning’s fire, someone has passed away at an East Lancashire train station (March 13).

Just about 6.30 am on March 13, a massive emergency services reaction arrived at Church and Oswaldtwistle station. According to British Transport Police, it was a result of hearing about a “person on fire at the location.”

The unidentified person was tragically declared dead at the spot, according to the officers. Over four hours were spent on the platform as forensic investigators conducted a preliminary examination of the incident.

“The incident is believed to be non-suspicious.”

Due to the unfortunate tragedy, several stations in Lancashire had to cancel or modify their services. Routes between Blackpool North and Leeds/York, Preston and Colne, and Blackburn and Manchester Victoria/Headbolt Lane were reportedly impacted, according to National Rail.

Northern provided an update at 11.45 a.m. on X, the previous Twitter platform, saying: “The emergency services’ disruption of the area near the railway between Blackburn and Hebden Bridge has now stopped. This issue is no longer affecting services.”