A man has been killed after being hit by a train at Manchester's Piccadilly Station in the early hours of this morning.
Thousands of commuters faced rush hour delays and cancellations in the wake of the tragedy at around 4am.
It is believed the man, 31, stepped into the path of a freight train as it passed through platform 13.
Both platforms 13 and 14 were closed to commuters and staff while police investigated the death. Arrivals and departures across the board were delayed or cancelled with many trains stranded miles from Piccadilly while awaiting a change of platform.
Many London trains were either cancelled or delayed. Long queues formed at information desks and ticket counters throughout the station.
One woman waiting for her train said: "We heard a man had been killed after standing in front of a freight train. There are lots of police around and it's very disturbing, everybody is in shock."
Another commuter trying to travel to London this morning said: "I'm heading down for a meeting but my Euston train has been cancelled so I'm in a bit of trouble really. But it is very sad."
A spokesman for British Transport Police said officers were called to Manchester Piccadilly at 4.15am after reports that a man was struck by a train. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
A Network Rail spokeswoman said the platforms were set to open by lunchtime but delays would run in to the afternoon as a knock-on effect. She urged people to check the Network Rail website before travelling.
British Transport Police blocked off the thoroughfare to platforms 13 and 14 where the incident happened, and interviewed witnesses.
A driver from Virgin Trains and a conductor from Transpennine Express services raised the alarm after the incident. Passengers heading for London Euston, Nottingham, Crewe, Middlesbrough, Liverpool and Manchester Airport all faced delays.
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A tragic story.
Platforms 13-14 are well away from the others and it is almost another station so why on earth do the police have to shut down the whole station? It is a strange knee jerk reaction by GMP. they seem to be power mad as every fatality seems to result in massive no go areas for hours afterwards
@Vote for David - The whole station wasn't shut down at all, just platforms 13 and 14. I was travelling to Leeds today and there were delays as queues were building up outside the station as "through" trains (including a freight train) were stuck on the lines outside the station waiting to pass through platform 14 on their way towards Liverpool, which meant others were stuck behind them. It was also chaos at Oxford Road this morning as obviously there were no trains going to or from Piccadilly.
Vote for David, tory land
3/02/2010 at 13:30
of course they would close it, they need to investigate it, why does this mean they are power mad?!
very sad story, my thoughts are with the mans family
Very Very sad, condolensces to the family.
O by the way it was British Transport Police.....
More tories making up statistics on this threads I see!
This man must have been in a very lonely place.
My condolences to all involved.
R.I.P. Chap.
Vote for David, tory land
3/02/2010 at 13:30
What have GMP got to do with it? The railways are policed by British Transport Police.
Very tragic.
As tragic as this is, it is also a very selfish way to go. Not only will this poor man's family have to emotionally deal with the violence and suddenness of his death, but he caused chaos with it.
It serves to remind us, surely, that nothing in life can ever be so bad....
Gaz
"More tories making up statistics on this threads I see!"
No. What statistics, what Tories?
Hurry O'Caine - I'm referring to the second poster claiming that the entire station was closed when it wasn't (and that GMP were involved, when they weren't), and Chris Grayling's recent contrivance of the crime statistics.
Keep up.
Gaz
Hard to keep up with a random collation of unrelated pap. If you seek mixers up of facts, search no further than Noo Laybah.
Clearly Gaz M can't read. The story on which he has commented clearly says
"Arrivals and departures across the board were delayed or cancelled with many trains stranded miles from Piccadilly while awaiting a change of platform.
Many London trains were either cancelled or delayed. Long queues formed at information desks and ticket counters throughout the station."
The London trains don't go from platform 13. They go from the main terminus, so why were they delayed or cancelled? Oh, because trains which would pass through 14 couldn't, so were blocking thge path of the departing trains. That's the thing about railways. You can't easily nip around another train.
My thoughts go to this mans family. But also the train driver this is always hard thing for us to deal with. I hope you get over this and manage to get back in the seat.
My sympathy to the train driver and his family. Having had a fatality while driving a train myself what these people dont realise is that whatever nightmare they are going through in their lives they choose to drag innocent victims into that nightmare. A selfish way to go i say.
This man chose to end his days like this. But I feel very sorry for the train driver who would have just seen this figure getting closer & closer. Also Piccadilly is a terrible lay out & it has been proven once again. If a fault or accident happens on the lines that run through plats 13 & 14. Piccadilly comes to a halt. Then all trains to travel north of Manchester come to a stand. Is it not time to build another link?
so why isn't the mess just cleared up quickly - delays cut to a bare minimum and let everyone get on with real life - rather than pander to some peculiar 'official' routine of 'stop the world - nothing else matters until we say we're finished investigating'.
In a simialr vein a few years ago I was stuck in a 20 mile trafffic jam on the M1 for several hours while the police dealt with a man wondering whether to jump of a bridge or not. The disruption and costs to people must have been horrendous - I'm sure these things can be resolved very quickly - if there was a will to do it - but dithering and indecison seem to be the measure of the day - rather than minimising costs to society
Typical general public!! The mindset of some of use sick people is disgusting, this poor man was the most kind hearted man you would ever like to meet, the perfect gentlemen!!! Please if use have nothing good to say then dont say anything at all because your mindless comments are not needed!! If most of use idiots lived in the real world and not a bubble that contains just you maybe you would understand!! Also have some consideration for his family who may well see these pathetic comments use are leaving, let the man rest in piece!!
R.I.P Mate you will be sadly missed by everybody!!!
Luke - Salvi
Its silly init mate every1 writing these comments about being delayed and debating the train stations layout is wrong you people read a story and take the bits out that concern you, nothing to do with this mans no condolances or anything just about you, you lot make me sick. i spoke 2 this man on a couple of occasions and he was a nice fella wat a terrible way to leave his family and loved ones and also his work colleagues
R.I.P Mate Sorry never got chance to work with you
Luke Manchester
i aint gona waste my time with brainless people,, this man was a good friend and work mate of mine, he had a heart of gold and would help any body if they needed it,,, so if any one has anything bad to say then pls keep it to urselve. u did not know the man...... we did.. its hard enough for his family and friends to find out how he died.. r.i.p big man sleep easy.. am gona miss u,, and everyone who knew u mate..