Major travel disruption as train derails in Sheffield

Lines closed in both directions after several wagons come off tracks near city

Major disruption after freight train derails in Sheffield (Gav Smith/PA)

A freight train has derailed near Sheffield, causing major travel disruption expected to last all day.  

Several wagons came off the tracks just north of the city at about 3am in a “low-speed derailment”, operator Northern Rail said.  

Police said no one was injured and that they were investigating the incident.  

Signalling equipment has been damaged, according to the Leeds City Station Twitter account, and all lines through Sheffield were initially blocked for hours.  

National Rail Enquiries advised "disruption is expected until at least the end of today".  

CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Northern and TransPennine Express services have all been affected, with services cancelled, delayed and diverted.  

Northern advised people not to travel to or from Sheffield on Wednesday.  

However the rail operator said it was "working to put alternative road replacement transport in place".  

Northern said the train service between Sheffield and Doncaster has been cancelled in full and will be replaced by an hourly road transport service between Doncaster and Meadowhall.  

Transport will leave Doncaster at 15 minutes past each hour, and Meadowhall at 45 minutes past each hour.  

In an update at about 7.30am, East Midlands Railway said train services on its Liverpool/Nottingham/Norwich route could now call at Sheffield in both directions, while buses will continue to shuttle between Sheffield and Chesterfield.  

CrossCountry also said services were running through Sheffield in both directions again by 8.15am, but warned: “The derailed train remains in the area so delays to services through the station may occur.”  

The Office of Rail and Road tweeted: “We are aware of an incident which took place this morning where a freight train derailed near #Sheffield Station.  

“Thankfully, there has been no loss of life or injury to staff or members of the public.  

“Two ORR inspectors will attend site to investigate what happened.”  

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch said it also had inspectors onsite at Sheffield station “gathering evidence for a preliminary examination”.  

It is not known what cargo the derailed train was carrying.