Major commuter route shut for five hours after train hit a cow on the line

A busy London commuter route was shut for five hours last night after a train hit a cow on the line.

The London Midland service from Euston collided with the animal on the tracks near Milton Keynes shortly before 6pm.

Services to Northampton and Milton Keynes were halted for the remainder of the night as the train was removed from the track.

Network Rail, which is responsible for the track, was today investigating how animals got onto the line at Wolverton, a district of Milton Keynes.

The accident highlights the vulnerability of the West Coast Mainline pending a programme of works to fence off the line.

A report on the line’s security was commissioned last year as services have been affected by suicide attempts and cattle on the line.

Network Rail plans to spend £10m upgrading fencing to bring it into line with the Channel Tunnel Rail Link which is much better protected resulting in better service reliability.

Travellers hoping to board the London Midland train from London Euston last night were shocked to be told why the service was cancelled.

One said: “Commuting is never much fun. On the rare occasion you hang around in town to see friends. There is a tendency to expect a clear run home - but that’s frankly a triumph of hope over experience. Tonight there were apparently animals on the line near Northampton.”

Meanwhile other travellers took to social networking sites following the announcement

One tweeted: “Travelling between Euston/Northampton? Line blocked between Wolverton & Northampton re:collision with cow. Poor cow :(“

Another added: “Stuck at #Euston, ‘animals on the line’, not heard that before, cow hit by train near #Northampton. #travelsafely”

And a fellow commuter tweeted: “@LondonMidland What hit the cow? Bletchley or Euston?”

Passenger Lee Bearton said: “We were all on a packed train waiting for it to leave when they announced the train was being held because of cows on the line and all trains heading north of Milton Keynes were being delayed. We all had to troop off and return to the station concourse where it was heaving – and very hot. By the time I managed to get on a crowded train – frankly dangerously overcrowded – and get home it had taken me three hours. It normally takes me an hour.