This was the scene at Kirkby train station today after a Merseyrail service left the tracks and smashed into the platform on Saturday.
The badly damaged train was still in place this afternoon and yet to be recovered from the tracks after the crash, which left large piles of rubble and broken up concrete.
Today, officials from the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and the Office for Rail and Road were in Kirkby making preliminary enquiries.
They said a full report with safety recommendations would be produced if any failures were identified from the weekend's accident.
Network Rail said the driver of the 6.35pm service, who was taken to hospital as a precaution, was uninjured in the crash.
But he was shaken up, it was added.
He will be spoken to in due course to get an account of what happened in the lead-up to the accident.
The smash happened as the train was coming into the station and hit the buffer stop, leading to a large amount of damage to the train, the surrounding station walls, and parts of the platform, which partly caved in.
Investigators said they were "keeping an open mind" as to the cause of the crash.
A number of different organisations are part of the enquiry team, with British Transport Police looking at any criminal element and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch examining safety issues.
Merseyrail today clarified the service which derailed was travelling from Liverpool to Kirkby after they incorrectly stated over the weekend it had been heading into the city.
A spokeswoman for the Rail Accident Investigation Branch told the ECHO: “We were notified of an accident involving a passenger train at Kirkby station on Saturday.
"A team of inspectors were sent to the site to gather evidence as part of the process of conducting a preliminary examination.
"If the evidence collected indicates that there are likely to be important safety lessons for the railway industry then a full and thorough independent investigation will be carried out and the findings, along with any safety recommendations, published.”
Twelve passengers were on board Saturday's 6.35pm service, along with two crew members.
They were uninjured, and managed to walk off the train unaided.
The Office for Rail and Road said: "We’re formally investigating the incident involving a Merseyrail train that derailed while travelling into Kirkby station over the weekend.
"We’re working alongside our colleagues at the British Transport Police and Rail Accident Investigation Branch to understand what happened."
Merseyrail were unable to give a time-frame on how long Kirkby station will remain closed, but given the considerable damage, it could be for at least the rest of the week.
A British Transport Police spokeswoman said: "We are conducting an investigation into a train derailment at Kirkby station, Merseyside, on 13 March, alongside the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).
"Officers are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances of the incident while their enquiries continue.
"As is routine, the driver will be spoken to in due course and the train will be examined.
"Anyone with information can contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 421 of 13/03/21.”
Phil James, Network Rail’s northwest route director said: “Following an incident where a Merseyrail train ran through the buffer stop at Kirkby station on Saturday evening, trains to the town are not running.
"Once the train involved has been recovered and all investigations are completed by relevant authorities, we can then assess the full extent of the damage and begin to make repairs.
"Bus replacement services for Merseyrail and Northern customers remain in place to and from Kirkby. We’d like to thank passengers and residents for their patience during this time.”
