TRAIN services were delayed or cancelled on Monday evening after a freight train accident.

Services were hit after a track fault caused a low-speed derailment at 3.20pm near Redbridge in the west of Southampton.

Commuters faced delays of up to 40 minutes as buses were put on between Southampton Airport and Bournemouth, and between Southampton and Brockenhurst.

Thousands of people were delayed – between 4pm and 6pm there were eight cancelled services from Southampton to Bournemouth alone.

A Network Rail spokesman said the line reopened at 6.35pm although services were still disrupted afterwards.

Freight operators DB Schenker said the accident involved a 37-wagon service carrying track maintenance equipment from Eastleigh to Westborough.

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