At around 13:19 on 31 January 2026, a passenger train derailed and then rerailed at Hopetown Junction, near to Darlington North Road station, County Durham.
The train involved had been routed from the Darlington North Road Goods Loop line, over the crossover at Hopetown Junction and onto the Bishop Auckland Single line towards Shildon. The train crew were initially unaware that anything was amiss and so the train continued normally to Shildon, where the driver was alerted to the derailment.
A subsequent examination of the train and track found evidence that several wheels had derailed, and then rerailed, within the length of the crossover at Hopetown Junction.
We have undertaken a preliminary examination into the circumstances surrounding this incident. Having assessed the evidence which has been gathered to date, we have decided to publish a safety digest.
The safety digest will be made available on our website in the next few weeks.