West Coast Mainline facing days of cancellations after train derails
One of the UK’s most important railway lines is facing days of disruption after a train derailed in Cumbria this morning.
The West Coast Mainline, which serves trains from London to Edinburgh via Birmingham and Preston, is unlikely to reopen for ‘a number of days’ following the derailment, Avanti West Coast said.
A spokesperson for the North West Ambulance Service said four people suffered minor injuries when the train hit a landslip at around 80mph, but nobody needed further hospital treatment.
The 87 passengers and staff members who were on board the service from Glasgow to London Euston were discharged from a rest centre nearby.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told LBC Radio this morning that a ‘major incident has been stood up’.
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She said: ‘We will work swiftly to make sure that people can get off the train safely.
‘I will be remaining in constant touch with the train operating company and the Railway Accident Investigation Branch.’
The train had left Glasgow at 4.28am and was reported to have derailed at 6.10am.
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Significant disruption will hit Avanti West Coast and the TransPennine Express for the rest of the day following the incident, National Rail said.
All lines are blocked between Penrith and Oxenholme, meaning trains between Carlisle and Preston may be delayed by up to two hours or cancelled altogether.
Journeys with Avanti West Coast from Glasgow Central/Edinburgh to London Euston will be cancelled, while services in the opposite direction will end in Preston.
Avanti West Coast passengers are being advised to not travel north of Preston, and those who have bought tickets with the operator will have their tickets accepted on CrossCountry, LNER and ScotRail services.
Meanwhile, the TransPennine Express trains that normally run from Glasgow Central to Liverpool Lime Street and from Glasgow Central/Edinburgh to Manchester Airport will not operate between Carlisle and Preston.
Passengers are warned they may be heavily delayed and experience ‘severe overcrowding’.
Hourly rail replacement journeys will take place between Preston and Carlisle in both directions.
More information about the alternative journeys can be found here.
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