KiwiRail is investigating the cause of a locomotive derailment in Hinds this morning.

The engine, which was not pulling carriages, went off the tracks in Delamaine St in Hinds, south of Ashburton, just before 8am.

The train driver was not injured.

A KiwiRail spokeswoman said it was too early to speculate on the cause of the derailment.

"Derailments can be caused by a culmination of factors,'' she said.

''We will conduct an investigation to determine what factors were involved in that incident. That can take some time.

''What's important here is that the driver wasn't injured in any way."

She said the driver had been stood down for a medical check.

"He hasn't been stood down for anything other than his own welfare," she said.

She was not aware that the incident would be investigated by any other authority.

The spokeswoman understood the track was now clear and services running again.

Hinds fire chief Dave Kingsbury said excessive speed may have been an issue in the derailment.

- © Fairfax NZ News

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