Train Crash in Berkshire

Bad news. The BBC are reporting one person dead when a High Speed Train collided with a vehicle and derailed near Aldermaston in Berkshire.

So far, the report does not specify whether the fatality was from the train, or on the vehicle it hit

Update:. The incident happened at Ufton Nervet, which is an AHB (Automatic Half-Barrier) level crossing (reported on the SWRG mailing list). Too early to say exactly what happened, but 99% of level crossing accidents turn out to be the fault of the road user. Bear this in mind when we get the predictable media feeding frenzy about 'rail safety'.

Further Update: Sky News are reporting "several fatalities". The report mentions "9 derailed coaches", which sounds like pretty much the entire train, with some coaches at right angles to each other. This is bad.

Update: Police are now reporting six deaths. There are some suggestions (not confirmed) on mailing list postings that the car driver deliberately stopped on the crossing as a suicide attempt. This may be a baseless rumour, but Christian Wolmar did suggest this as a possibility on the TV news. There have been suggestions that the car was heading up the track.