2 hours ago 
Dr Peter Knapp
Two rider trains person collided successful the Bedford area, leaving a fig of passengers and unit hurt.
Emergency crews are connected the country aft the clang happened betwixt 2 East Midlands Railway (EMR) services astatine 17.12 BST.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was "deeply concerned" by reports of the collision, portion the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) national said passengers and unit had sustained "serious injuries".
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue crews are attending the tract conscionable southbound of Bedford and the work asked radical to debar the determination portion they worked astatine the scene.
When and wherever did the bid clang happen?
British Transport Police announced conscionable earlier 18:45 BST it was responding to reports of a collision adjacent Bedford.
Rail work Thameslink reported lines betwixt Luton and Bedford had been blocked since astir 17:30 BST.
A rider who was connected committee 1 of the trains, who spoke to the BBC, said the collision happened astatine 17:12 BST.
The collision happened conscionable southbound of the Elstow interchange betwixt the A421 and the A6 and some trains are inactive connected the track.
Family and friends of passengers person been told not to spell the country by police.
What happened successful the collision?
It has been claimed 1 of the trains deed different that was either stationary oregon moving dilatory successful beforehand of it connected the aforesaid line.
Passenger Peter Knapp said others connected his bid saw 1 up of them earlier the crash.
Knapp described seeing "bloodied faces", radical with what appeared to beryllium breached legs, and "smoke everywhere".
Another rider told the BBC that radical flew retired of their seats successful the crash, including idiosyncratic who deed her hubby successful the face.
"There was a batch of blood. A batch of radical had facial injuries," Shola Mene said.
The RMT national said it had received reports that passengers and onboard bid unit person sustained what it described arsenic "serious injuries".
The Rail Accident Investigation subdivision said it was successful Bedford trying to find retired precisely what had happened.
It said successful a connection connected X: "A squad of RAIB inspectors is connected tract astatine the country of a collision betwixt 2 trains adjacent Elstow, to commencement gathering evidence."
Which bid services were involved?
East Midlands Railway has confirmed 2 of its trains were progressive successful the collision.
A spokesperson said: "The 16:40 EMR bid from Corby to London St Pancras has been progressive successful a collision with 15:50 Nottingham [to] London St Pancras, astatine Bedford South.
"We are presently connected the country and moving with Network Rail to assistance the exigency services.
"Further updates volition beryllium provided arsenic soon arsenic much accusation is established."
The bid institution had earlier posted online that services to and from London St Pancras were suspended for the remainder of the day.
What person the exigency services said?
British Transport Police says it is responding to a collision betwixt 2 trains successful the Bedford area.
"We recognize that radical are acrophobic astir relatives oregon friends who whitethorn person been travelling connected the trains progressive successful the incidental adjacent Bedford," a spokesperson added.
"We're asking radical not to question to the country and await further updates from exigency services."
Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: "Crews are presently successful attendance astatine an incidental connected the railway conscionable southbound of Bedford.
"Please debar the area. Thank you for your co-operation."
East of England Ambulance Service said: "We person sent a fig of resources, including aerial ambulance and our Hazardous Area Response Team, to a large incidental connected the railway southbound of #Bedford. We promote radical to debar the area.
"Further updates volition beryllium provided successful owed course. Please lone telephone 999 successful an emergency."
What has been the absorption from politicians?
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was disquieted by reports of the collision.
She said connected X: "I'm profoundly acrophobic to perceive reports of the collision involving 2 East Midlands Railway rider trains.
"I'm grateful to exigency services who are connected the scene, attending to those affected.
"We're moving rapidly with the obstruction manufacture and section partners to enactment passengers."
Bedford and Kempston MP Mohammad Yasin said the "very serious" incidental was "really concerning" and told the BBC helium believed determination was "a fig of casualties".
Health Secretary James Murray said: "I americium being kept updated connected the collision of 2 trains betwixt Luton and Bedford.
"A fig of radical person been injured and I convey archetypal responders who are helping those affected."
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