Off-duty Thameslink driver steps in at Luton

A relief driver was meant to take over the running of the Thameslink train at Luton railway station but was described by a commuter as "missing in action"

An off-duty train driver has come to the aid of delayed passengers by stepping in to drive the train.

Commuters on a Thameslink service to Bedford said the train pulled into Luton at 20:31 BST on Wednesday and they were "stranded" as the relief driver was "missing in action".

They waited for several minutes until an off-duty driver, who was a train passenger, volunteered instead.

Thameslink has been approached by the BBC for comment.

Commuters have been experiencing regular delays on the Thameslink line between Bedford and London caused by the introduction of new timetables, five weeks ago.

'Soul-destroying'

Bedford commuter Helen Patterson wrote on Facebook that she was "stranded at Luton station as the relief driver is MIA [missing in action]. Anyone seen a lost looking driver?"

She then updated her post about 15 minutes later and said: "Luckily a driver travelling home from work on the train kindly volunteered to drive the train back."

Jade Williams, a Bedford commuter who was also on the train, said: "It was the 19:49 [BST] from City Thameslink to Bedford. We were lucky that a train driver happened to be on the train (as a passenger) who was going home to Bedford.

"The commute has become soul-destroying; Bedford commuters cannot plan their lives anymore because we genuinely have no idea what time we will get home from work. All we can be sure of is that it will take hours, either on a train or waiting for one."

The train then got into Bedford at about 21:00 BST, Ms Williams said.