'Significant' disruption on key route for 'days' after Glasgow to London train derailment

Four people suffered minor injuries after the early morning Avanti West Coast service came off the tracks in Cumbria while travelling at speeds of around 80 miles per hour.

Scots on board the train described the “panic” and “distress” after the front carriage of the train suffered extensive damage and was derailed after what Network Rail said was a suspected landslip in “appalling” weather conditions.

Avanti West Coast urged people not to attempt to travel north of Preston on the line, and said it was likely there will be “significant disruption” to its network for “a number of days” as Network Rail works with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the cause of the accident.

TransPennine Express services between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central and Manchester Airport, and those between Glasgow Central and Liverpool Lime Street, have also been affected.

Some 87 people, including 10 members of staff, were on board the 4.28am Avanti service, which departed Glasgow Central for London Euston, only to be derailed near the village of Shap at around 6.10am.

Network Rail said the front coach of the 11-carriage service came off the tracks during severe weather conditions and while it was still dark.

Images of the front carriage showed it had come to rest between two rail lines between Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District, with extensive damage below the driver’s cab and mud and debris strewn across the windscreen.

One passenger, Campbell Watson, said he was awoken by a “real big screech” sound before the train ground to a halt, and praised the reaction of the driver.

Mr Watson, from Glasgow, was travelling on coach B towards the rear of the train, when it came off the tracks.

He said: “I was sleeping and there was a big jolt on the train, a real big screech and then all of a sudden the train came to a stop and the power went off.

“It was a very shocking experience. I think the best part about it was the driver and his 30 years of experience. I think he was a bit shook up but he did a good job.”

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Another passenger, Nathan Cunningham, from Irvine, said he woke to “scraping sounds along the carriages” before the train suddenly came to a halt.

“I looked along the carriage and there was panic,” he said. “The staff were running through the carriages checking in if everyone was OK.

“The passengers were quite distressed and the staff seemed distressed – they seemed quite shocked by it. Thankfully there was no injuries.”

Sam MacDougall, Network Rail’s operations director, said early indications suggested the train had hit a landslide, with investigations ongoing into the cause of the incident.

He said: "We believe the train was travelling at approximately 80 miles an hour at the point of collision and then stopped very quickly thereafter.

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"On arrival of the emergency services and the Network Rail staff, all of whom worked in extremely challenging terrain and appalling weather conditions this morning, all persons on board the train were safely removed and brought to a nearby reception centre.”

Mr MacDougall said that by 10.40am, all passengers were being safely taken forward to their onward destinations via replacement road transport services.

He added: “Our attention now turns to investigating the cause and recovering the railway as quickly as we can."

North West Ambulance Service said it had stood down from major incident status and withdrew resources from the scene after establishing that no one required further hospital treatment.

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

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"I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude for the actions of our colleagues on board 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 on board. We are now ensuring we provide support to those affected.”

At Glasgow Central railway station, other passengers impacted by a series of cancelled Avanti West Coast services were forced to make alternative travel plans, with some heading to Edinburgh to join east coast LNER services.

First Minister John Swinney said: "Rail travel is normally a very safe way of travel, so when these incidents happen they are matters of enormous concern and require detailed investigation."

While he stressed no-one had been seriously hurt in the incident, Mr Swinney added: "This will have been an absolutely terrifying experience to have witnessed, so it's important that all support is in place for everyone that's affected."

He said the Scottish Government was in touch with the UK government "about the steps that are being taken to investigate the incident and also to support those affected.”

The UK transport minister, Heidi Alexander, said she was "thankful" that there were no reported injuries and that she was in touch with authorities to "understand exactly what caused this to happen in the first place.”

The Transport Salaried Staff's Association praised the actions of emergency services but described the incident as "troubling.”

The union’s general secretary, Maryam Eslamdoust, said: "The derailment of the Avanti West Coast train near Shap is very serious and will require thorough investigation.

“There will be significant disruption in the days ahead on the west coast main line, but our members know this is necessary so we can have answers and better understand what led to this incident in Cumbria.”