Trains halted after train falls on track at Wallasey Village station

Jan 4 2012 by Helen Hunt, Birkenhead News

TRAINS had to be halted on the New Brighton line last Wednesday after a tree fell on the track at Wallasey Village Station.

Contractors carrying out work for Network Rail were felling trees along the embankment at the back of Kinross Road when the tree toppled on to the track at around 8.55am.

The line was closed for a short time but trains were back running as normal by 10.25am.

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said a full investigation would be launched into how the incident happened.

The tree felling started last Wednesday despite a campaign by residents to stop Network Rail from removing them.

James Norris, whose elderly parents live on Kinross Road, said: “One of the trees fell on the platform, across the track, and they had to stop the trains. These trees are 60ft high. It’s been a pantomime.

“I just think Network Rail haven’t thought this through. It’s looking like a Marx brothers’ film at the moment.”

A spokeswoman said: “We are carrying out a full investigation with our contractors to find out how this has happened.”