Dog struck by Penzance-bound train on Devon coastal line

A train struck a dog after it ran onto the railway near Teignmouth, close to the Devon coastline, prompting a brief precautionary response from rail staff.

Great Western Railway confirmed the incident occurred at around 12.30pm on Monday when a service travelling towards Penzance encountered the dog on the coastal stretch of line. The driver brought the train to a stop to report what had happened before continuing the journey.

As a result, the next two services passing through the area were instructed to run at reduced speed. Despite this, railway staff reported that there was no further sighting of the dog along the line.

An eyewitness at the scene said the dog was not on a lead when it ran onto the tracks. The witness also claimed the animal’s owners followed it onto the railway, although Great Western Railway has said this does not appear in its operational records.

The condition of the dog following the collision has not been confirmed.

A spokesperson for Great Western Railway said:

"We can confirm the driver of a Penzance-bound train reported striking a dog in the Teignmouth area at around 12.30pm. The driver stopped to report the incident before continuing to Penzance. The next two trains proceeded through the area at cautionary speed but no sighting of the dog was made. There’s nothing in our Control log which mentions a person running after the dog."

Image: Network Rail