David Muffett, a crop-sprayer from Ten Mile Bank, died after the collision on the Black Horse Drove crossing between Littleport and Ely.

The collision happened at around midday when the WAGN train, carrying 32 passengers, was travelling from London's King's Cross station to Lynn.

The line remained closed between Lynn and Ely from noon until 6am yesterday morning when peak time services ran.

The line was then closed again until the later peak services from 4pm to allow staff of the newly- formed Rail Accident Investigation Branch to begin looking into the causes of the crash.

Neighbours Jamie Preston and Lisa Bradley said they had not known Mr Muffett well, but said he was one of the friendliest men around.

Miss Bradley said: "When we first moved in the village it seemed to be really close knit and he really made an effort to say hello. He used to wave to the children from his tractor.

"It's fairly choked us up really. There are hazards with jobs, but this is not the sort of thing you would expect to happen."

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said she had known Mr Muffett since she moved into the village four-and-a-half years ago and had socialised with him, his wife and best friend.

"He was always smiling," she said. "Every time he went past he would toot his horn and wave. He was just a genuine guy. Nobody had a bad word to say about him."

Mr Robert Loxton, managing director of Waldersey Farms, confirmed Mr Muffett had been employed by the company for several years and described him as a "valued employee and good friend to us all".

Laura Dobson, spokesman for Network Rail, the company in charge of the railway infastructure, confirmed an investigation into the crash had already started.

Ms Dobson said yesterday the line had been open only at peak times and hoped investigators would have completed their work by this morning.

She said so far as Network Rail was aware the lights on the crossing had been in good working order.
"We've no reason to believe they weren't working and no information to say that."

She said the crossing was on private land and was classified as an occupational crossing with a limited number of users who were mainly farm workers.

The barriers were gates on either side of the lane and the crossing also had red and green lights and audible warnings.

And a spokesman for train company WAGN confirmed the lights and barriers at the crossing were in "perfect" working order.

After the impact the train managed to stay on the rails and only one passenger was taken to hospital for a shoulder injury. The train driver is understood to have been treated for shock.