A person has died after being hit by a train at Twickenham station in south-west London, British Transport Police have confirmed.
Officers were called to reports of a casualty on the tracks shortly after 6pm on Thursday, 24 September. Police attended alongside paramedic colleagues, and the person was pronounced dead at the scene.
A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “We were called to an area of the line in Twickenham shortly after 6pm yesterday (24 September) following reports of a casualty on the tracks. Officers attended along with paramedics but sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The force said enquiries into the circumstances leading up to the death were continuing. No further details about the person have been released at this stage.
All railway lines between Twickenham and Feltham were closed while emergency services dealt with the incident, bringing South Western Railway services through the area to a standstill during the Thursday evening rush.
Twickenham is a key station on the Kingston Loop Line, with regular South Western Railway services running to and from London Waterloo. With every line through the station shut, passengers were left facing significant disruption, with trains unable to run through the affected stretch of the network.
South Western Railway operates the station and its train services, running commuter routes between London Waterloo and destinations across south-west London and Surrey. The closure came during the Thursday evening peak, one of the busiest periods on the capital’s commuter rail network.
Commuters travelling across south-west London were advised to check their journeys before setting out and to allow extra time, as knock-on delays continued into the evening.
The closure added to a miserable period for rail passengers across the capital. Lewisham station is shutting all weekend as Southeastern engineering works bring major disruption, while London Overground passengers face major weekend disruption on several lines. Further ahead, Charing Cross and Waterloo East are set to close for 48 hours on 10–11 October.
British Transport Police routinely attend incidents of this kind on the rail network to support the emergency services, secure the scene and establish the facts. Its officers work alongside train operators, Network Rail staff and paramedics whenever a casualty is reported on the tracks.
British Transport Police is the specialist national force responsible for policing Britain’s railways. Its officers attend incidents on tracks and at stations around the clock, working to establish what has happened while supporting efforts to reopen lines to passengers as soon as possible.
Cases of this nature are routinely referred to the coroner, who will establish the formal cause of death in due course.
Incidents of this kind are distressing for everyone involved, including passengers, rail staff and witnesses. British Transport Police work with the Samaritans and the rail industry on suicide prevention across the network, and support is available for anyone affected by what happened.
Anyone who has been affected by the incident, or who is struggling to cope, can contact the Samaritans free of charge on 116 123 at any time for a confidential conversation.
