Salisbury collision continues to affect trains running through Honiton

Train lines which go through Salisbury could remain closed until the end of the day on Monday 8 November, after an incident on the line on Sunday evening.

At 6.46pm on October 31, the rear carriage of a Great Western Railway service from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads derailed, and a South Western Railway train travelling from London Waterloo to Honiton collided with it.

The driver of one of the trains is said to be suffering life-changing injuries and over 100 people had to be rescued from the trains. There were no fatalities.

In response to the Rail Accident Investigation Branch's (RAIB) statement on the incident, a South Western Railway spokesperson said: "RAIB's statement on their initial investigation into the train collision near Salisbury on Sunday points to low adhesion between the wheels and the track as the most likely cause."

"Their early assessment shows the South Western Railway driver reacted correctly to the signals by braking to slow the train down. While the investigation has a long way to run, these initial findings are helpful to stop speculation and focus attention on the evidence about the likely cause of the collision."

"Our thoughts are with all those caught up in this serious accident and we will continue to cooperate fully with the relevant authorities as they continue their investigations. We want to pay tribute to our driver who was injured on Sunday night. He is a deeply respected colleague, who has over 50 years' experience of driving on this route and an excellent professional track record."

"All our drivers are regularly assessed to the highest standards and he has fully satisfied all requirements. Initial findings indicate that the driver acted in an impeccable way in a valiant attempt to keep his passengers safe, staying at the controls throughout.

We thank him for his actions and we wish him a speedy recovery as he continues to be treated in hospital."

How are Honiton trains being affected?

The Salisbury incident is affecting trains running through Honiton. Travellers are advised to avoid this route if possible.

There is currently no service to London Waterloo, but trains are running between Gillingham and Exeter St David's, where the normal service is running to London Paddington.

There is a shuttle between Salisbury and Exeter St David's starting at the following times:

Salisbury to Exeter St David's at 47 minutes past the hour.

Exeter St David's to Salisbury at 25 minutes past the hour.

If you have tickets dated between October 31 and November 4, these can be used up until November 6.

For further information click here.