Passengers evacuated from Greater Anglia train from Bishop’s Stortford after tree falls on overhead wires and catches fire

A Bishop’s Stortford man has described how passengers on the train he was travelling on had to be evacuated when a tree caught fire after falling onto overhead wires, causing major disruption to services on Monday (April 15).

Ashley Samways, of Newtown Road, had boarded the 11.15am train to Stratford at Bishop’s Stortford, but just after Roydon station it became stranded when the tree fell. Passengers were stuck for two hours before they could be evacuated.

He said among the 21 people on the train were six Greater Anglia workers, including two drivers, a manager and a cleaner. “It was crazy,” said Ashley. “But I have nothing but love for Greater Anglia as they handled it very well.”

The tree fell in strong winds on Monday and blocked the line from Broxbourne to Stansted Airport, leading to cancellations and delays to trains to stations all along the route, including Bishop’s Stortford, Sawbridgeworth and Stansted Mountfitchet, for the rest of the day. Greater Anglia advised passengers not to travel.

A team of Network Rail engineers eventually removed the tree and repaired to the overhead wires.

DJ and TV documentary maker Ashley told the Indie after his difficult journey to meet a client at Stratford he then endured a five-hour trip to get home.

Services were back to normal by Tuesday morning.

The Met Office had issued a yellow weather warning for Monday due to strong winds. The alert warned of some short-term loss of power and other services, adding that delays to road, rail and air transport were likely.