Rail bosses have paid tribute to driver Shaun Burton who lost his life in Friday’s head-on collision while providing an update on the trains’ recovery. WATCH ABOVE

Over 80 people were also treated at hospital with nine in a critical condition following Friday’s collision (June 19) between two East Midlands trains close to Elstow.

East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Network Rail came together for a press conference this afternoon (Monday) to pay tribute to Mr Burton, injured passengers and the NHS – and urge people to be patient as the recovery operation to remove the two trains continues.

Bedford train crash: Section of Ampthill Road closed all week

The scene of a train collision near Bedford on Friday (June 19)

Described as a complex operation, Will Rogers, managing director at East Midlands Railway (EMR), pledged: “We are doing everything we can to identify the causes to make sure nothing like this can ever happen again.”

While Mark Budden, East Midlands route director for Network Rail, said: “Right now our immediate priority it to recover the railway and support the formal investigation.”

And while he described Friday’s crash as “significantly distressing”, he said they would not be rushed and would only open the railway when it was safe to do so.

He said each train needs to be lifted carefully and sensitively so the railway track isn’t damaged further – and only then they could see what further damage the actual crash had caused.

Although it will take time for the railway to be opened up fully, Mr Rogers added: “One train per hour is running in each direction between Bedford and each of Sheffield, Nottingham and Corby. Rail replacement buses are running onwards to Luton.”