Level crossing crash driver 'blinded by sun'

The incident involving a slow-moving, two-coach train and the vehicle happened near Winchelsea Station on Friday.

The driver of the Land Rover was unhurt in the crash and later claimed he had been blinded by the sun and not seen the warning lights.

The accident bears striking similarities to a smash on the same Ashford-to-Hastings line in 1989, when a train collided with a van at an unmanned, ungated crossing at Appledore in Kent.

A police officer said at the time that the van driver, who suffered minor injuries and shock, was blinded by bright sunlight and could not see the crossing's red flashing lights.

Friday's accident took place just before 4pm as the 15.24 Ashford International to Hastings service was pulling in to Wincheslea.

David Yates, station officer with the retained firefighting crew in Rye, said: "It's a very small, isolated station used mainly by tourists and workers.

"It was obvious the train was moving slowly when it hit the Land Rover and pushed it off into a wall.

"The matter is being investigated by police but as I understand it the driver said he did not see the crossing lights in the bright sunlight.

"The driver was shocked and very fortunate to be in a Land Rover, which gave him a lot of protection. If it had been a smaller car, it could have been a very different scenario."

Mr Yates said three fire engines and a heavy rescue tender were sent to the scene where officers helped about 20 passengers out of the rear train carriage. Passengers in the front coach were able to step on to the platform before boarding a bus to Hastings.

A spokesman for Network Rail said: "The train was not going at any great speed and was not derailed.

"Fortunately, there have been no reported injuries to the train driver or passengers.

"The driver of the car suffered minor injuries.

"An investigation is being carried out by British Transport Police and Network Rail to establish how the car came to be on the crossing."