Old lady drives down train tracks after taking wrong turn

AN elderly woman ended up driving along railway tracks after taking a wrong turn at a level crossing – but didn’t realise her error until she pulled up at a station.

Metro trains were brought to a halt after the driver was spotted on the line in Newcastle yesterday morning.

She had gone onto the tracks and was heading towards Bank Foot station when she arrived at the platform.

Trains were suspended between Newcastle Airport and Regent Centre after the car was spotted on the line at Kingston Park.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and safely got the woman out of her car.

A Nexus spokesperson said that police and Metro engineers were assessing the situation before moving the car and letting trains run again.

The level crossing and track were also being checked for damage and Metro trains were back in service at around 9.15pm.

Passer by Nathan Richardson tweeted: “Whole load of police cars at KP station. A car has driven up the line, looks like towards Bank Foot.”

It’s not the first time a driver has ended up on the tracks. In 2009, a woman came face-to-face with a Metro train.

The 40-year-old had driven on to the track at Fawdon in Newcastle and travelled hundreds of metres before her vehicle broke down as a train approached.

It took the car three hours to be recovered and off the tracks.