Train derails in Cumbria at speeds of up to 80mph ‘slides’ with dozens of people on board: latest

Avanti West Coast said the incident was likely to cause disruption “for several days”.

Andy Mellors, managing director of Avanti West Coast, said: “Our main priority following this serious incident is the safety and well-being of our customers and colleagues.

“I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude for the work of my colleagues, who have been warmly welcomed and appreciated by customers.

“I would also like to thank our responding crews, emergency services, Network Rail and local hotels who provided facilities for everyone on board.

“We are now ensuring that we provide support to those affected.”

The chairwoman of Shap Parish Council has said she is “not surprised” that there was a landslide which was hit by a derailed train.

Jean Jackson said recent rainfall in Cumbria had been “exceptionally bad”, and there were steep slopes next to the railway line.

Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has called for a “thorough” investigation into the train derailment in Cumbria.

Emphasizing that “rail travel is generally a very safe mode of travel”, he said that “when such incidents occur, they are of extreme concern and require detailed investigation”.

A passenger is reported to have said that “there was a bang, the train shaking and tilting just before stopping in Cumbria”.

Rebecca McCarthy told the BBC: “The front passengers told me they saw a white flash of light and heard a big bang.”

He described the train crew as “fantastic, who kept bringing us drinks and snacks while keeping us all informed”.

The 54-year-old said: “All the passengers remained calm and we did what we were told. Some of the passengers who were supposed to fly were evacuated first, which everyone supported.”

“I am very grateful to the crew and emergency services.

“The train manager said it was the driver’s reaction that prevented it from becoming more serious.”

Network Rail has warned that train passengers could face delays or cancellations of up to two hours.

It said on social media: “The derailment between Penrith and Oxenholme means all lines are blocked. Trains running between Carlisle and Preston may be delayed up to 120 minutes or cancelled.”

Network Rail has said that weather conditions in Cumbria were “appalling” when the train derailed.

Network Rail operations director Sam McDougall said emergency services and Network Rail staff “worked in extremely challenging terrain and catastrophic weather conditions this morning”.

A derailed train in Cumbria caused a landslide at speeds of up to 80mph, according to Network Rail.

87 people, including 10 members of staff, were aboard the 4.28am Avanti West Coast service from Glasgow to Euston when it derailed near the village of Shapp on Monday morning.

Network Rail said the front carriage of the 11-carriage service derailed during poor weather conditions at about 6.15am, while it was still dark.

Network Rail operations director Sam McDougall said early indications suggested the train had been hit by a landslide.

“We believe the train was traveling at approximately 80 mph at the location of the collision and then stopped very rapidly,” he said.

Mr McDougall said: “Upon the arrival of the emergency services and Network Rail staff, all of whom worked in extremely challenging terrain and horrific weather conditions this morning, everyone on board the train was safely removed and brought to a nearby reception centre.

“By 10.40am today, all customers were safely transported to their onward destinations by replacement road transport.

“Our focus is now on investigating the cause and fixing the issue as quickly as possible.”

Avanti West Coast has warned that “all lines north of Preston are blocked” due to the train derailment in Cumbria.

It advised passengers, “Please do not attempt to travel north of Preston today.” “We will continue to update our website with more information, but there will likely be significant disruption to our networks for several days.”

Network Rail has said work is still ongoing to confirm the cause of the train derailment in Cumbria.

In an update, it said: “The incident occurred following a suspected landslide in the area, which is experiencing significant adverse weather conditions, and extremely heavy rainfall is exacerbating the issue.

“Our dedicated teams are working to get trains back up and running as quickly as possible.

“We are working with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the cause of the derailment.”