A person has died after being struck by a train in Dorset.

The incident occurred on the line at Woodsford, between Dorchester South and Moreton, on Tuesday morning.

There is a level crossing where the road between West Stafford and Crossways crosses the Weymouth-Waterloo line at Woodsford. The road in that area has been closed while emergency services work at the scene and an investigation is carried out.

Dorset Echo: Road closure in the Woodsford area

Trains between Weymouth and Wareham are at a standstill following an incident on the tracks.

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to the line in Woodsford at 10.23am on September 26 following reports of a casualty on the tracks.

"Paramedics also attended however sadly a person was pronounced dead at the scene. The incident is not being treated as suspicious."

Emergency services are dealing with the incident which has seen all lines blocked.

A spokesperson for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) said: “We were called at 10.38am to an incident near Crossways, Dorchester. We have sent a double-crewed land ambulance.”

Disruption is expected until 7pm today.

Dorset Echo: Information sign at Dorchester South station

One resident of Moreton had been planning a trip from her local station to Pokesdown in Bournemouth. She was dismayed to find out the reasons for the cancellations.

She said: “It is a horrible thing to have happened. How sad.

"And imagine the poor train driver, that must've been traumatic."

She added: “I‘ve had five-minute delays here but never like this, not in the eight years since I moved here.”

The roads in the area around Woodsford crossing were closed. Some road users drove to Moreton train station to warn passengers that the cancellations were likely to persist for many hours.

One woman said: “We were turned around on the road, so we came to tell people at the station it is not going to be running for hours.

“We were at the junction and there were four fire engines tail to tail, and they turned us around at the quarry entrance.”

One traveller had been planning to take the train from Poole to Dorchester. Her train was cancelled at Wareham, and she ended up taking a taxi to Dorchester.

She said: “The trains stopped and there was no information about how long it would take.

“We shared a taxi with two other people who were stuck at the train station.”

A spokesperson for South Western Railway said: “We have received reports that a person has been struck by a train between Wareham and Weymouth.

“Our response teams are working with the emergency services to assist with the incident. In order to allow emergency services access to the railway all power to the track will need to be switched off in the affected area.


“For further information or onward travel advice please speak to a member of staff or use a station help point.


“We are very sorry for any delay that this may cause to your journey.”

In order to allow emergency services access to the railway all power to the track will need to be switched off in the affected area.


Until further notice, trains from London Waterloo will terminate and start from Wareham or Wool.


Tickets will be accepted at no extra cost on the following services:


GWR services between Weymouth - Yeovil Pen Mill - Westbury - Salisbury and Southampton Central.


Morebus M1, M2 and 16 between Bournemouth - Branksome - Parkstone - Poole


Morebus 17 between Bournemouth - Parkstone - Poole


Morebus 40 between Poole and Wareham


Morebus 8 and 9 between Poole and Hamworthy


First Buses X50 and X54 between Poole - Hamworthy - Wareham - Wool - Weymouth


First Bus 10 between Weymouth - Upwey - Dorchester


Rail replacement buses will be in place from 11:45am to run between Wareham and Weymouth calling at all stations with abus starting from Wareham and a bus starting from Weymouth. 


Passengers requiring further stations beyond Wareham, are asked to leave the train at Poole and speak to station staff who will assist with onward transport.


For further information or onward travel advice speak to a member of staff or use a station help point.


If you or someone close to you has been affected by this incident or other, there is always someone to talk to. Contact the Samaritans on 116 123 free at any time, on any phone.