An injured man on one of the trains caught up in the horror smash in Salisbury last night

A man injured on a train caught in the horror smash in Salisbury last evening.

This is the carnage inside one of the Salisbury rail crash trains where passengers fearing they were about to die called loved ones to say goodbye as investigators probe how a derailed locomotive was left a ‘sitting duck’ for seven minutes before a second service smashed into them when signals failed to turn red.

One teenager grabbed his phone and filmed inside one carriage that was tipping over and said: ‘F*** me. We are literally on your side’ before zooming in to an injured man and saying, ‘That guy’s eyes are mashed’. 

Another survivor stated: “It’s really scary. People started taking videos saying, “mum and Dad, I love You”, afraid they’d die.”

Passengers on a Great Western Railways service from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads were thrown around their pitch-black carriages after their train hit an object as it entered the Fisherton Tunnel in Salisbury, sending it off the rails.

Around 60 people were stranded on the derailed train for seven minutes before a South Western Railway service from London to Honiton in Devon with around 60 more people on board ploughed into it at around 6.45pm after signals failed to kick in.

People aboard the trains described hearing a loud bang, a bomb going off, when the collision occurred. Then came flying glass, sparks from grinding metal, and even tables flying over the carriages. 

Callum Stedman (16) said that passengers believed they would die from the smoke filling their carriages. He also claimed that they feared a terrorist attack. Some people called their loved ones to say good-bye.

According to him, ‘We felt a jolt, and everything went black. We all landed on top of each other, and the train was 45 degrees to its side.

What we know about the Salisbury train accident:

TRAIN 1 DERAILS AT 18.38pm

The 17.08pm Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads run by Great Western Railway hits something as it enters the Fisherton Tunnel in Salisbury, sending it off the rails at around 18.38pm on Sunday.

Dozens of people remain trapped inside for seven minutes until the second crash.

TRAIN 2 HITS TRAIN 1, 18.45pm 

South West Rail’s 17.20pm London Waterloo to Honiton train runs from Salisbury Station at 18:47.

It hits the GWR service, which has been detoured and is partly on the wrong track, at 18.45pm. 

Investigators are looking into the reasons why the signalling failed to stop the train after it was first derailed.    

  • Did you travel on one of the trains? Email tips@dailymail.com or martin.robinson@mailonline.co.uk 

“Lights started coming from people’s phones, and we started to look around. You see people with broken noses, black eyes, and blood dripping. It was scary because it seemed like the smoke was going to catch on fire and you would die. 

He continued, “Outside of the door there were a fireball and smoke. Then there were lots of smoke and fuel. That’s when everyone panicked.” There were many people crying and some people were jumping in the windows because of stress’.

Morgan Harris, Royal Navy Sailor, was returning from London Waterloo to Yeovil after he was hit by a huge crash.

Able Seaman, 20, said that everything was going well until suddenly there was a loud bang and all the lights went out.

“There were sparks and flames coming from the spot where we had veered off the track. There was also a lot of ash coming in from the outside. Our train was on its sides… I was thrown to the side and banged against my table.

Dimitri Popa, a Romanian passenger, was on the train from London Sherborne when the terrible crash occurred.

The 17-year old replied, “It all happened very fast… I was sitting in the first carriage when there was a big crash. The flames started to burn and I became very scared. The carriage was located 45 degrees to the right. We were all shocked and didn’t know anything.

MailOnline today received a statement from a senior railway engineer stating that there was a major flaw in the signals. They failed to turn red when the train derailed in Wiltshire last evening. This allowed the high-speed intercity service to crash into the sitting duck locomotive, leaving at least 17 people hurt. 

Around 120 people were saved by firefighters and paramedics, including a baby three weeks old. 17 people were injured including one of the drivers, who was cut free having suffered a suspected broken ankle. A’small’ number of people were taken into hospital. The ‘walking injured’ were cared for by locals at a nearby parish where they received blankets, food and first aid.

Officials called it a “critical” incident while observers claimed that it was a miracle that nobody was killed.

People were laying on the floor of one of the carriages with cuts, suspected fractures and broken noses with some calling loved ones fearing they would die

People were lying on the ground of one of the carriages with suspected fractures, cuts and broken noses. Some called loved ones in fear of their death.

The scene at the Fisherton Tunnel in Salisbury today where the railway line remains closed for investigations after two trains collided

The scene at the Fisherton Tunnel in Salisbury today where the railway line remains closed for investigations after two trains collided

The SWR service, being referred to as 'Train 2', appears to be the most badly damaged of the two trains

The SWR service, also known as Train 2, appears to be the most damaged of the two trains

The South West Railway train (left) is seen with its cab mangled after hitting the back of the stationary GWR service, which had previously partially derailed in a tunnel close to Salisbury station

The South West Railway train (left), is seen with its cab badly damaged after it struck the back of the GWR service. This was partially derailment that occurred in a tunnel near Salisbury station. 

Images taken from on board the derailed SWR train showed it at a 45-degree angle in the tunnel after the collision

Images taken on board the derail SWR train after the collision showed it at a 45 degree angle in the tunnel. 

MailOnline has been informed that an investigation into a major rail accident is underway. Experts will look into why signals that should be turned red to warn of approaching trains did not. It is possible that the train may have obstructed signalling in the area.

The Rail Accident Investigations Branch and Office for Rail and Road will also examine the circumstances that caused the train to go down. 

A senior Network Rail engineer, with more than 10 year’s experience, who had seen information about this crash, said that only a’major signalling error’ could have caused it.

MailOnline spoke on condition of anonymity to say that the GWR train collided in an object and derailed. There should be an ‘automatic obstruction notice’ to stop any train traveling that mile. 

Network Rail has discovered a serious flaw in its signalling system. They stated that the system states that the line is unsafe for another train because of an obstruction. It should have stopped the train automatically. It should have set all signals to red automatically. The system should have made the train stop if the driver failed to see the signal.  The whistleblower said: “I’ve been aware for a number years that there has been many failures within this organization.” [Network Rail]They said that they had feared that an incident like this would occur ‘for the past two year’.

Witnesses described hearing the sound of a bomb going off as the crash, which was one of the most serious on the UK rail network in recent years, took place. One woman aboard the train described her terror at being thrown around in the crashing train. 

Angela Mattingly was on the SWR train and said that everything went black, and there were red flashes.

“There was a lot more jostling, possessions were being thrown around, and I believe a few people went forward to hit their heads. You don’t know what’s happening for a few seconds. People panicked but no one was seriously hurt’.

Lucy Gregory said to BBC: “We were just pulling into Salisbury station, and the train felt a bit juddery. I was just standing up and putting on my coat, and my phone when I felt a massive impact and fell across the table. I fell under another table when the table fell off the wall. They smashed the windows, and we were able to get out of the window. It was quite scary. 

Emergency crews rushed to the scene at Fisherton Tunnel between Andover and Salisbury following the collision at around 6.45pm yesterday evening. The SWR train from London to Devon is seen on an angle after colliding with a stopped GWR service

Following the collision at 6.45pm yesterday evening, emergency crews raced to the Fisherton Tunnel between Andover & Salisbury. After colliding with a stopped GWR train, the SWR train from London-Devon can be seen at an angle

The entrance to Fisherton Tunnel near Salisbury.

The entrance to Fisherton Tunnel near Salisbury. The rear carriage of a GWR train from Portsmouth to Bristol derailed after most of the train had entered the tunnel on the track that emerges from the left of this image. The SWR train then collided with it having approached the tunnel from the track that runs under the road this image is taken from. The rear of the GWR train was shunted into the tunnel wall at the left of the entrance, while the SWR train derailed more fully and crossed on to the right-side of the tunnel on a 45-degree angle

The entrance to Fisherton Tunnel is near Salisbury. After most of the train entered the tunnel on track that runs from the left of this photo, the rear carriage was destroyed by a GWR train. It was going from Portsmouth to Bristol. After approaching the tunnel via the track that runs underneath the road, the SWR train collided with it. The GWR train’s rear was pushed into the tunnel wall to the left of the entrance. The SWR train derailment was more severe and crossed the tunnel on the right-side at a 45-degree angle.

“It sounded almost like a bomb was going off.” 

Witnesses described hearing a loud bang that sounded ‘like a bomb going off,’ when two trains collided in a tunnel near Salisbury last evening.

Local resident who lives near the tunnels claimed that she was out celebrating Hallowe’en with her children when she heard the train crash. She said she loved to thunder or hear a bomb go off.

Tamar Vellacott told reporters that she was out with her children and mother celebrating hallowe’en at the time of the crash.

“It was a strange noise that we have never heard before. My young ones panicked thinking it was a bomb. We suggested that maybe a lorry had crashed onto the London Road and not panic,” said the 25-year old.

“There was no screeching or brakes sound, just a long rumbling sound similar to thunder. It did not spook us, so we decided that we would drive home in our car. We were passed by three police cars at high speed. 

Peter Golden, 52 years old, from Laverstock (Wiltshire), said that the collision’sounded a lot like something big collapsing–the sound of things falling into themselves’.

“With the windy day that we’ve had, I initially thought it was a big gust wind that has knocked over something heavy.

“I realized what I had heard only when the helicopter arrived at the station over the tunnel.

“The first helicopter arrived at the station and began hovering around 30-40 minutes after the collision. 

“There were many sirens and emergency vehicles along London Road.

“Emergency vehicles were coming out of the west and east – presumably Andover – as well as Salisbury. 

Police held a press conference in the morning but could not say how many of those who were injured had been taken to hospitals. 

The drama unfolded inside Fisherton Tunnel. It is a major junction connecting two lines that approach Salisbury from both the south and the west.

Firstly the 17:08 Great Western Rail service from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads, which entered the junction from the south, hit an object the tunnel – possibly material that fell from the tunnel roof, sources said – and the rear carriage derailed. Bad weather caused delays across the rail network and delayed the train’s arrival in Salisbury at 6 :28pm.

Seven minutes later, at around 6.45pm the 17:20 South West Rail train, which was scheduled to arrive in Salisbury at 6.47pm on London Waterloo, arrived at the junction from the east. For some reason signals had not alerted the driver of the obstruction – or had failed to stop his train if he missed the red lights.

The SWR train crashed into a GWR service station inside the tunnel. It derailed itself, and skidded at 45 degrees inside the tunnel. The tunnel wall apparently held it up. The driver was trapped in his mangled car and had to be freed by emergency workers. Only the last carriage was able to stand upright.

Tamar Vellacott stated to reporters that she was walking along with her children about half a mile from the crash scene when she heard it.

“It was a strange noise that we have never heard before. My young ones panicked thinking it was a bomb. We suggested that maybe a lorry had crashed onto the London Road and not panic,” said the 25-year old.

“There was no screeching or brakes sound, just a long rumbling sound similar to thunder. It did not spook us, so we decided that we would drive home in our car. We were passed by three police cars at high speed. 

The engineer said that the incident could not possibly have been avoided if an oncoming train was too close the GWR. However this was impossible given the seven-minute warning.

“There was a major flaw in the signalling system at Network Rail.” 

Peter Golden, 52 years old, is from Laverstock, Wiltshire. He said: “There is a deep cutting leading into a tunnel on Salisbury Station’s approach from the east, and it looks like there is a collision.

“It sounded almost like something was collapsing, the sound of things falling into one another.

“With the windy day that we’ve had, I initially thought it was a big gust wind that has knocked over something heavy.

“It wasn’t until the helicopter arrived on the station over the tunnel, that I realized what I had heard.”

“The first helicopter arrived at the station and began hovering around 30-40 minutes after the collision.

“On station” refers to when it arrives and hovers or circle – this is to aid with lightning and eyes.

“There were many sirens, emergency vehicles on London Road.

“Emergency vehicles were coming in from the west and East – presumably Andover, as well as Salisbury.

“Friends nearer mentioned that passengers were taken up to the ambulances on London Road by their friends, so walking which is great.

The Rail Accident Investigations Branch and the Office for Rail and Road are investigating the incident. 

Martin Frobisher is Network Rail’s group safety and engineering director, technical author. He said that he doesn’t know what exactly happened in the Salisbury train crash on Sunday evening.

He stated that although nobody was seriously injured, it was a relief that nobody was hurt. However, the passengers must have had an extremely frightening experience, and we are very sorry.

“We are starting now a very thorough and forensic investigation into the incident.

‘The Rail Accident Investigation Branch’ is present on the scene and they are incredibly thorough in their work.

“And that will help us learn from it, and that’s why such events are very rare because we follow up very, very carefully and make sure that everything is done to prevent it in the future.

Frobisher stated that it was too early to speculate and that there is “a lot of contradictory evidence” in the early stages.

Emergency services said they would remain at the scene of the collision through the night and it would be days before services could resume

According to emergency services, they would remain at the scene throughout the night and it would take several days before services could be resumed.

A fleet of ambulances waiting at the scene of the collision. Most of those injured were described as 'walking wounded' however a 'small number' including one driver were take to hospital for checks

A fleet of ambulances waited at the scene of the collision. The majority of the injured were described as “walking wounded”, however, a small number of them, including one driver, were taken to hospital for medical checks.

Around 50 firefighters as well as Wiltshire Police and ambulance attended the scene

There were approximately 50 firefighters on the scene, along with Wiltshire Police officers and ambulances.

Firefighters take cutting equipment towards the scene of the train crash in Salisbury last night. The driver of the London to Honiton service needed freeing from his mangled cab

Salisbury firefighters carry cutting equipment towards the scene. The driver of London to Honiton’s train needed to be freed from his mangled car.

Police set up road blocks around the site of the crash. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said investigations into the crash would be undertaken in order to help prevent similar 'serious' incidents in future

Police placed roadblocks around the accident site. Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary, said that investigations into the crash would take place to prevent other’serious incidents’ in the future.

Locals who live around a mile away described hearing a massive bang 'like a bomb going off' as the trains collided

Local residents living around a mile from the train tracks described hearing a loud bang as if a bomb went off when the trains collided.

Signalling for the area has been wiped out, with South Western Railway warning that all lines running through Salisbury and Andover are currently blocked while an investigation takes place.

Signalling to the area has been destroyed by South Western Railway, who advised that all lines through Salisbury or Andover are currently closed while an investigation takes effect.

Dozens and even hundreds of emergency workers, including 50 firefighters raced to the scene.

Footage captured shocked survivors being led by the derailment trains along the tracks with firefighters and rail personnel lighting their way with torchlights.

Corinna Anderson, crash survivor, said to the BBC that she saw a newborn baby being pulled from the GWR train that had been derail.

She said to the BBC that she heard and saw that a three-week old baby was on the Temple Meads train. The fire service saved her and she is now doing well.

“As I climbed off my train, I saw the fireman holding the baby in his arms. Then I saw the mother giving the baby to him and they were taken away for medical attention.”

British Transport Police stated that a casualty center has been established at St Mark’s Church in the City.

The church’s reverend stated that 120 train passengers were taken to the site. Some were ‘visibly shaken and injured’.

Reverend Andy Bousfield was “just settling down for quiet evening” when he heard police cars, a helicopter and then got a call asking if he could open the church.

He said that he was settling down to a quiet evening when the phone rang. I also heard police cars passing and a helicopter flying overhead.

“It was a phone call from a policeman asking if they could use the church. I said, “I can be there within five minutes.”

“Within 10 minutes, people started coming in.

‘The first people seemed to have everything under control, although there were a few who had suffered injuries. Some of them just wanted somewhere to rest their heads.

‘We just popped the kettle on and in fact some of the neighbours popped around with biscuits and milk* It’s a real pulling together.

“We’ve received a lot of calls from members asking if we can help.

“There were approximately 100, 120 people.. it took a lot more tea.

“It was quite nice that people came together in an emergency.”

Firefighters and police officers are seen standing with South Western Railway staff on a bridge overlooking the section of railway where the derailment occurred

Firefighters, police officers and other personnel from South Western Railway are seen standing on a bridge overlooking section of the railway where the derailment occurred.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch tonight said it had deployed inspectors to the site of a collision for a preliminary examination of the scene

Tonight, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch stated that it had sent inspectors to the scene of a collision for a preliminary inspection

An Office of Rail and Road spokesperson added: 'We’re supporting Network Rail and the train operators, plus RAIB and the British Transport Police, with respect to the collision between two trains near Salisbury Tunnel Junction and liaising with emergency services responding to the incident'

A spokesperson for Office of Rail and Road said that Network Rail and the train operators, RAIB and British Transport Police, were supporting Network Rail and the train drivers in the collision between two trains near Salisbury Tunnel Junction. They also liaised with emergency services to respond to the incident.

Andy Cole (left) from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue speaks to the media near the scene of a crash involving two trains near the Fisherton Tunnel between Andover and Salisbury in Wiltshire

Andy Cole (left) from Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue speaks to the media near the scene of a crash involving two trains near the Fisherton Tunnel between Andover and Salisbury in Wiltshire

Grant Shapps, Transport Secretary said that investigations into this crash would be conducted to prevent similar’serious’ incidents in the future.

Mr Shapps tweeted, “My thoughts go out to the affected by the serious train accident near Salisbury,”

Chris Heaton-Harris, Transport Minister, added: “I am aware that a rail accident occurred near Salisbury.

‘Emergency Services are on the scene and I am in close communication with Network Rail & operators.

“Our thoughts are with those who have been affected by this serious incident.”

Manuel Cortes, General Secretary of Transport Salaried Staffs Association, said that while we are still waiting for further details on the matter, it is a sobering reminder of why safety on railways is always paramount.

“The thoughts of our entire union are with all those who were affected by this tragic event.

“No doubt, we will find out the cause of this accident over the coming days or weeks. A full investigation will now be necessary.

British Transport Police issued an official statement, stating that officers would remain at the scene through the night.

‘We were called at 6.46pm to Fisherton Tunnel in Salisbury after receiving reports of a train derailment that involved two passenger trains colliding.

“Officers continue to respond to the emergency alongside our emergency service colleagues, and the line will be closed for some time,” said the spokesperson.

‘Fortunately there were no fatalities, however, a lot of people were injured and a casualty center was opened at a local church.

“Most of these people are still walking wounded, however, a small number, including driver, have been taken into hospital to be assessed for injuries.

“A major incident has been reported and this has been a multi-agency, large-scale response that has been closely coordinated with our colleagues in Wiltshire.

“We will remain on the scene throughout the night to determine the full circumstances of how this incident occurred.”

Tonight, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch stated that it had sent inspectors to the scene of a collision for a preliminary inspection.

A spokesperson for the Office of Rail and Road stated that they were supporting Network Rail and train operators, RAIB and British Transport Police in relation to the collision between two trains close to Salisbury Tunnel Junction and liaising closely with emergency services responding.

Network Rail spokeswoman said that the rear carriage of the 1708 Great Western Railway service, from Portsmouth Harbour to Bristol Temple Meads, was derail after hitting an object as it approached Salisbury station.

‘The derailment wiped out all signalling in this area. The 1720 South Western Railway train from London Waterloo, England to Honiton collided with the Bristol train.

“There are reports of injuries, and the emergency services are present on site as well as railway first responders.

The disruption to services in the area was expected for several days.

MailOnline has reached out to Network Rail as well as British Transport Police in order to get their comments on the claims of the whistleblower.