Cumbria train derailment RECAP: Updates as Glasgow to London train derails causing major disruption

The train firm said the 4.28am service to London came off the tracks between Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District at 6.10am.

Passengers were escorted off the train and the latest statement from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) said 87 patients have been assessed with four suffering minor injuries.

Network Rail has said the incident followed a “suspected landslip” however it is working with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the cause.

Earlier on, NWAS said it had sent paramedics to the scene near the village of Shap, which is on the West Coast Main Line. UK Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said a major incident had been declared.

NWAS has confirmed it has now stood down from major incident status. The BBC reported passengers were taken to the nearby Shap Wells Hotel after being safely escorted from the train.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said: “At 06.10hrs today, 3 November, the 0428 Avanti West Coast service from Glasgow to Euston was reported to have derailed at Shap in Cumbria.”

“Our priority is the wellbeing of everyone who was board and getting them safely off the train. We are assisting emergency services who are on the scene.”

The latest statement from NWAS said: “We can now confirm that we have stood down from major incident status and are withdrawing resources from the scene.

“Our colleagues have assessed a total of 87 patients, with only four suffering minor injuries. No one required further hospital treatment, and all were discharged from the nearby rest centre.

“An operation remains in place with our partners as they continue to recover the scene.”

‘Suspected landslip’

Network Rail confirmed a “suspected landslip” had occurred before the train derailed. It said the area where the landslide occurred has been experiencing "significant adverse weather conditions" and “extremely heavy rainfall continues to compound the issue,".

However, it said investigations are still ongoing to establish the cause of the derailment.

Major disruption expected for ‘days’

The train firm said all lines are blocked north of Preston and it is advising people not to travel north of Preston on its services today.

The spokesperson said: “We’ll provide further information in due course, but it is likely there will be significant disruption to our network for a number of days.”

Ticket acceptance is in place on alternative routes between London Kings Cross and Edinburgh with LNER, between Edinburgh and Glasgow Central with ScotRail and between Edinburgh and Birmingham New Street with CrossCountry.

First Minister ‘very concerned’

First Minister John Swinney said he was “very concerned” by the news.

Stressing that “rail travel is normally a very safe way of travel”, the First Minister told the PA news agency later on that “when these incidents happen, they are matters of enormous concern and require detailed investigation”.

He added: “On the information that I have available to me just now, there do not appear to have been any injuries for the passengers who were on the train, but 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.”

Mr Swinney also 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”.