Network Rail says that repairs are progressing well following yesterday’s train derailment at Shap in Cumbria.
The train hit a landslip at around 06:10 and caused the front carriage to derail. No one was serious hurt and everyone was evacuated to a nearby hotel.
Repairs are progressing, with overhead wire repairs completed, the train has been taken away from the site, and earth, track and signalling work is ongoing.
Major disruption is expected until the end of the day, with Avanti West Coast running trains as far as Preston, though they are running shuttle trains between Glasgow Central and Carlisle.
TransPennine Express are running between Liverpool / Manchester and Preston only.
Ticket acceptance and rail replacement buses are in operation so please check with your rail operator for the latest info.
Caledonian Sleeper services were affected last night, with the Highlander being diverted via the East Coast Main Line and the Lowlander being cancelled. However, the Lowlander carriages were parked in the station for passengers to sleep on. Ticket acceptance is in place with Lumo and ScotRail.
Avanti says tickets on this route dated Monday 3 or Tuesday 4 November can be used at no extra cost anytime from Wednesday 5 to Friday 7 November.
The latest travel advice can be read in full on the National Rail Enquiries website.
“We want to thank passengers for their patience while we have investigated this extremely complex incident.
“Now that the RAIB staff have finished their investigation our team can begin the work of reopening the railway. We will need to move the train before we begin the repair work necessary to get services moving safely as soon as possible.
“This incident will continue to cause disruption for the rest of the day and we’re urging passengers to check with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries for the latest information.”
Phil James, North West Route Director for Network Rail
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Responses
They did have a solution to this problem and that was to run the trains via the East Lancashire Line to Blackburn and then to Hellifield for Carlisle. They have already been training the drivers for when the WCML is shut for two weeks at the start of next year, and could have treated this division as a dry run.
To simple that of course.
From my time spent providing engineering solutions I have found that the simplest is often the best.
That is assuming that sufficient diesel units are available at the drop of a hat. I believe, though am willing to be proven wrong, that the WCML diversions referred to, will need units taking away from services to Chester etc
West coast railway’s could have provided the diesel locomotives for Thunderbird duties and there drivers know the routes.