Overview
- A tall lorry hit the Marston Lane (Marston Junction) railway bridge in Bedworth, causing part of the bridge to collapse onto the road and blocking all lines on the West Coast Main Line.
- The strike forced cancellations and diversions on services between Nuneaton and Rugby and across the West Coast Main Line, with many trains routed via Birmingham and replacement buses used on affected sections.
- Emergency crews attended the scene and no one was injured, and Warwickshire Police arrested a 64‑year‑old man from Coventry on suspicion of endangering a railway passenger and failing to stop.
- Lines were reopened on a limited basis at reduced speed the following morning, but operators warned of continued cancellations, slower journeys and a road closure under the bridge while engineers complete damage assessments and repairs.
- Network Rail reminded drivers to plan for vehicle height and load restrictions because bridge strikes are preventable, and the damaged route’s long‑distance links to London and the north mean knock‑on delays could persist into the weekend.