Derailment outside Welshpool railway station

About 80 rail passengers escaped without injury after a train derailed in a Mid Wales town. The incident happened just outside Welshpool Train Station at 8.15pm yesterday.

The accident continued to affect services today.

An investigation has now been launched into how the Arriva Trains Wales service between Birmingham and Aberystwyth came off the tracks as it pulled into the station.

No-one was injured but fire crews helped passengers off the carriages.

Arriva Trains Wales said services would be affected today, with replacement bus services in place between Shrewsbury and Welshpool until this afternoon.

A spokeswoman said: "Several wheels of the train came off the track just after 8pm last night when the train was arriving at the station. Nobody was injured and all the passengers were led to safety by emergency services.

"Due to the nature of the incident and the investigation which is under way, trains will be disrupted today and replacement bus services will be in place until this afternoon."

Darren Beale, of Llanidloes, was on the train when the incident happened.

He said: "It was only a minor jolt and nobody was distressed by it - we were more concerned about why the train had stopped.

"But then we looked out and it was clear a carriage had left the tracks."

A spokesman for Mid & West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said five appliances attended the scene.

He said: "Approximately 80 passengers were assisted from the train by fire service and Railtrack personnel."

Antony Topazio, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said nobody was hurt and the 80 passengers, including a pregnant woman, were led to safety.