Rail passengers are facing days of travel chaos and have been warned to avoid all but essential travel after a high-speed train derailed when it struck a landslide.
The 4.28am service from Glasgow Central to London Euston came off the tracks near the village of Shap, in Cumbria at around 6.15am on Monday amid torrential rain and severe weather.
Four people suffered minor injuries in the crash, but remarkably there were no serious casualties, despite the train travelling at around 80mph when it crashed.
The front carriage of the 11-coach train left the rails but remained upright.
Network Rail said early indications suggested the train had hit debris on the line following a landslip triggered by heavy rain, which has now cut off the main route between Scotland and North West England.
A major incident was declared but later stood down by North West Ambulance Service once all 86 people on board, including crew, were safely evacuated to the nearby Shap Wells Hotel.
Sam MacDougall, director of operations at Network Rail, said: ‘We believe the train was travelling at approximately 80 miles an hour at the point of collision and then stopped very quickly thereafter.
‘The train design has worked extremely well as the vehicle remained upright, albeit the leading vehicle derailed.
The 04:28 service from Glasgow Central to London Euston came off the tracks near the village of Shap, in Cumbria at around 6:15am on Monday amid torrential rain and severe weather
Four people suffered minor injuries in the crash, but remarkably there were no serious casualties. The front carriage of the 11-coach train left the rails but remained upright
‘On arrival of the emergency services and the Network Rail staff, all of whom worked in extremely challenging terrain and appalling weather conditions, all persons on board the train were safely removed and brought to a nearby reception centre.’
The driver, who has not yet been named, was hailed for doing a ‘superb job’ in bringing the train to a halt without serious injury to passengers.
Witnesses reported hearing a ‘flash and a bang’ followed by ‘scraping sounds’ as the train derailed on the exposed section of track, which lies around 900ft above sea level – the highest point on the West Coast Main Line.
Managing Director for Avanti West Coast, Andy Mellors, said: ‘Our main priority is the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues following this serious incident.
‘I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude for the actions of our colleagues onboard which has been warmly received and appreciated by customers.
‘I would also like to thank our staff who responded, the emergency services, Network Rail and the local hotel who laid on facilities for everyone onboard. We are now ensuring we provide support to those affected.’
All passengers were checked by paramedics, with four treated for minor injuries and later discharged. Replacement transport was provided for those continuing their journeys south or returning north.
The train’s driver’s cab was badly damaged in the collision, and engineers now face days of difficult recovery work in ‘appalling’ conditions.
Miraculously only the front carriage of the train derailed despite hitting landslip at 80mph
Local MP Tim Farron has called for more investment and use of technology to detect landslips
The key West Coast Main Line is expected to remain closed for several days, causing widespread disruption to services linking London, Manchester, and Glasgow.
In a statement on its website Avanti said the West Coast Main Line would remain closed while the train is recovered and a probe is carried out by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB).
It said: ‘The West Coast Main Line will remain closed while the investigation is carried out and the train recovered.
‘This means we have issued a do not travel to or from destinations north of Preston, and are advising of significant disruption until the route is operational. Destinations north of Preston include, Blackpool, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Motherwell, Glasgow, Haymarket, and Edinburgh.
‘We will continue to develop our plans to respond to the incident and work with industry partners to reopen the network as soon as possible.’
The crash happened around 15 miles north of Grayrigg – the site of a 2007 Virgin Trains derailment which left one passenger dead and more than 80 injured – and has drawn comparisons with the 2020 Carmont disaster near Stonehaven, where a landslip caused a ScotRail train to crash, killing three people.
With the line blocked and clean-up operations under way, rail bosses are urging passengers not to travel unless absolutely necessary, warning of ‘significant disruption’ to services between Scotland and the North West for the rest of the week.
