A car crash in Salford disrupted train travel between Manchester and Liverpool after landing on the tracks.
The car was upside down on the tracks in Salford. This disrupted train trips between Manchester and Liverpool. It happened Friday morning, February 7th, in 2025. The electric cables powering trains were badly damaged.
Police arrested the driver, a man in his 30s, on suspicion of drink-driving. They took him to the hospital; his injuries were not life-threatening.
The crash happened around 2 AM on Friday at the Regent Road Roundabout. Engineers arrived quickly and removed the wrecked car before noon.
Train travel was severely impacted all day. All trains between Newton-le-Willows and Manchester were halted, and trains from Wigan North Western to Manchester also encountered issues. Many trains were canceled as a result.
Northern, TransPennine Express, and Transport for Wales trains experienced problems. The National Rail Enquiries site indicated delays were expected to last until late in the evening.
The crash involved only one car near Regent Road Roundabout. Police are collaborating with rail staff and the British Transport Police in the investigation.
The police apologized for the disruption and thanked people for their patience. Workers removed the car, and repair work took place in the afternoon.
Network Rail reported that a car crashed onto the tracks, causing substantial damage to the railway and the overhead power cables.
As a result, trains could not run on the Chat Moss line, which operates between Liverpool and Manchester. Transport for Wales, TransPennine Express, and Northern services were all affected.
Engineers and police worked to remove the car from the tracks and assess the damage to the cables. The line remained closed for a significant portion of the day.
Network Rail apologized for the travel disruptions and advised people traveling between Liverpool and Manchester to check for updates.