A major emergency response is under way after an early-morning Avanti West Coast service from Glasgow to London Euston derailed in Cumbria.
The 4.28am train came off the tracks at around 6.10am on Monday near Shap, a remote stretch of the West Coast Main Line. Emergency services, including police, paramedics and specialist railway teams, were quickly deployed to the scene.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that a major incident had been declared, adding that “there are no reported injuries at this stage.”
All lines north of Preston have been shut as a result, and rail operators are warning passengers not to attempt travel in the affected area. Severe disruption is expected to last for several days while investigators assess the damage and engineers work to make the line safe.
Avanti West Coast said its immediate priority was the safety and wellbeing of everyone on board.
“At 06.10hrs today, the 0428 service from Glasgow to Euston was reported to have derailed at Shap in Cumbria,” a spokesperson said. “Our priority is the wellbeing of everyone who was on board and getting them safely off the train. We are assisting emergency services who are on the scene.”
The company urged customers to avoid travelling north of Preston and warned that the impact on services is likely to be extensive.
Rail accident investigators are expected to begin work on-site later today as the cause of the derailment remains unclear. Photo by Thomas Nugent, Wikimedia commons.