A TRAIN filled with passengers was derailed after it fatally struck four cows which had made their way onto the tracks prompting an evacuation mission.
Greater Anglia’s 10.18am service running from Liverpool Street to Clacton detached from the railway line on Saturday before coming to a sudden halt.
The incident occurred near Thorpe-le-Soken at about midday when the fast-moving train, comprised of ten carriages, hit part of a herd of stray cows.
At the time of the derailment, 100 people were travelling onboard the train, including two passengers in wheelchairs.
Most of the shaken-up passengers were transferred to the rear five carriages before being taken back to Thorpe-le-Soken station.
They were then able to complete their journey, however, by either bus or by catching a different train to Walton or Colchester.
Following the evacuation, led by the emergency services, the wheelchair users and their families, were taken back to Clacton at their request.
As a result of the ordeal, services between Clacton and Liverpool Street were forced to both start and terminate at Colchester station.
Passengers could, however, still catch a train to Thorpe-le-Soken and there a limited rail replacement bus service was put on between Thorpe-le-Soken and Clacton.
The derailed train was eventually put back on the tracks just before 9.45pm and services resumed after 11pm once the train had been removed and check carried out.
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A spokeswoman for Greater Anglia, who said additional cows also had to be removed from the tracks, apologised to passengers.
She added: “We are very sorry for the inconvenience to passengers when a train hit cows on the line near Thorpe-le-Soken on Saturday.
“Greater Anglia staff, working with Network Rail and the emergency services worked as hard as they could to evacuate passengers safely off the train as quickly as possible and then make sure they were comfortable, giving them bottles of water.
“Anyone whose journey was delayed can apply for delay repay compensation.”
To find out more information visit greateranglia.co.uk.
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