Eurostar back to normal after TGV hits tractor on level crossing

Eurostar services have gradually returned to normal after major delays and cancellations due to a train accident near Tournai on Tuesday.

A French high-speed TGV collided with a tractor trailer which had become detached and was stuck on a level crossing, leaving four train passengers injured, one of whom is in a serious condition. The driver of the tractor was unhurt.

The accident was filmed by a technical camera owned by Belgian railway network manager Infrabel.

Eurostar traffic between Brussels and London was using the Belgian local line to Tournai due to works on the normal high-speed line, which does not have level crossings.

A long queue of waiting passengers formed at Brussels-Midi station on in the aftermath, and Eurostar travellers in London looking to reach Brussels received notifications that all trains that day were cancelled.

Some, however, were able to be diverted via Mons. Trains between Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels and Cologne were largely unaffected.

“[Passengers] were given the option to rebook or cancel their ticket free of charge,” a Eurostar spokesperson said.

The disruption continued into Wednesday morning, with many trains still unable to run. Traffic has now resumed in both directions, including to and from Lille and London.

Infrabel has carried out the necessary repairs, some of which are temporary. Teams were working again on Wednesday night to avoid any further disruption to rail traffic.

The wrecked train has been evacuated to Leuze-en-Hainaut.