Hoghton Train Tragedy
Fatal Train-Car Crash at Hoghton Level Crossing Leaves One Dead, Child Injured
Key Points
Northern warned that rail replacement bus services would run through Preston and Blackburn due to the Hoghton level crossing incident.
The train involved was the 7.51am Colne to Preston service.
Northern said it will cooperate fully with the investigation led by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
Emergency responders included the hazardous area response team and two air ambulances at the scene.
Pleasington is identified as the nearest railway station to the incident site.
A person died and a child was left fighting for life after a train struck a car at a level crossing in Hoghton, Lancashire, on Thursday morning. The crash happened at 8:50am on Station Road, when the 7:51am Colne-to-Preston Northern service hit the vehicle, according to Lancashire Evening Post.
Two air ambulances, four fire engines, and a specialist hazardous area response team rushed to the scene. The child was airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool with life-threatening injuries. No passengers on the train were hurt, Liverpool Echo reported.
Child Airlifted as Driver Pronounced Dead at Scene
Emergency crews arrived shortly after 9am to find one occupant of the car already dead. The second occupant, a child, was pulled from the wreckage in critical condition. By 10:15am, the child had been airlifted to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, About Manchester reported.
British Transport Police and South Ribble Police jointly led the response. Officers closed Station Road and urged the public to stay away. A BTP spokesperson said: "Enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident are ongoing." Police issued a witness appeal under reference 152 of June 25.
Preston–Blackburn Rail Services Suspended After Collision
Northern suspended all services between Preston and Blackburn after the crash. Rail replacement buses were arranged to cover the East Lancashire corridor, affecting passengers travelling through Rochdale, Clitheroe, and Manchester Victoria, according to AOL News.
Northern Managing Director Tricia Williams said: "Our thoughts are with the person who sadly died and the other passenger who has been taken to hospital. We will co-operate fully with the investigation." The Rail Accident Investigation Branch, known as RAIB, is expected to lead a full inquiry into the crash.
High-Risk Crossing Ran 83 Trains a Day at 70 MPH
The Hoghton crossing is classed as an Automatic Half Barrier Crossing, or AHBC. These barriers cover only half the road width. Trains pass through at up to 70 mph, with around 83 services a day. The crossing carries a collective risk rating of 4, classed as "High" on the national safety scale, Daily Record reported.
Safety concerns in the area were already raised just three days before the crash. On June 22, a separate report described a train making an emergency stop after barriers in the region failed to lower. Investigators are expected to look closely at whether the crossing's barrier system functioned correctly on Thursday morning.
RAIB Investigation Begins as Network Rail Reviews Barriers
The RAIB is now expected to open a formal investigation. Network Rail is reviewing the infrastructure at the Hoghton crossing. If the June 22 barrier failure is found to be linked to Thursday's crash, Network Rail could face serious questions about its maintenance of aging crossing equipment, Liverpool Echo reported.
Network Rail's own safety campaign, launched in April 2026, warned that trains travelling at 80 mph need nearly a mile to stop. The campaign noted that 60% of people believe they could move out of the way in time. The Hoghton crash is the latest reminder of the danger posed by level crossings across the UK.
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