A trail bike rider came within inches of being killed by a high-speed train in Victoria as new footage reveals his dive for his life.

Video of the January incident, recorded from the driver’s cabin and released on Wednesday, shows the rider walking his bike along tracks in Ballan northwest of Melbourne as the train approaches at 160km/h.

V/Line intercity driver Colin Sharp sounded his horn and applied the emergency brake, offering the rider a precious few milliseconds to leap out of the way before the train crushed his ride.

Mr Sharp told 3AW radio he initially thought he’d hit the man.

He said people were not aware how much time and space a train travelling at 160km/h needs to stop.

The footage shows a group of motorbike riders illegally travelling along the train line, with one rider forced to abandon his bike on the tracks. 

Mr Sharp said the riders were only about 50 metres away from a crossing point. 

Watch the incredible near miss:

Victoria Police alluded to the incident last month when it said it was looking for the owner of a motorbike struck by a train at Ballan.

Victoria Police spokeswoman Kendra Jackson at the time said the man had been pushing his motorcycle across the tracks near Llandeilo Lane when he dumped it in front of the approaching train.

“Another man was waiting near the tracks on a motorcycle at the time of the incident and the two males are believed to have fled the scene together,” Ms Jackson was quoted as saying by Fairfax.

“The exact circumstances surrounding the collision are yet to be determined and the investigation into the crash is ongoing.”

V/Line spokeswoman Catalina Filip at the time no one was injured but the train was unable to continue until a relief driver arrived.

“The customers on board this train continued their journey to Ballarat as soon as the driver arrived at the location.”‘

– With AAP