Avanti Derailment at Shap

[Mammasaid]

Glasgow to London train derails in Cumbria - no injuries reported but 'days of disruption' expected

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/czdrp8mm6jgt

[Simpo Two]

I'm getting a bit tired of copy/paste politicians though:

'Tim Farron, the Lib Dem MP whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency covers Shap, said he was "deeply concerned" to hear the news this morning. In a post on X, he says: "My thoughts are with everyone on board the train and the emergency service workers who are now on the scene."

[shed driver]

[demic]

Looks like it’s hit a landslide. Tough trains these Pendolinos

[Lotobear]

demic said:

Looks like it s hit a landslide. Tough trains these Pendolinos

Looks that way - we've had some heavy rain in Cumbria over the last few days

[ChocolateFrog]

shed driver said:

Worse than I thought it would look.

Amazing if there's no injuries.

[Skodillac]

Simpo Two said:

I'm getting a bit tired of copy/paste politicians though:

'Tim Farron, the Lib Dem MP whose Westmorland and Lonsdale constituency covers Shap, said he was "deeply concerned" to hear the news this morning. In a post on X, he says: "My thoughts are with everyone on board the train and the emergency service workers who are now on the scene."

What's he supposed to do/say? Also, so you really think that's the limit of his comment or action? He's not the Transport Minister, nor even in government. It's unlikely any constituents were involved in the incident as it's a fast train passing through. Is he supposed to be out there in his Walted up 4x4 towing the train away or something? I'm sure he'll be in touch with the Transport Minister to see if there's anything he can do, and to keep abreast of the situation, as he's a responsible and proactive MP.

I'd rather he wasn't on "X", but that's another story.

[airbusA346]

ChocolateFrog said:

Worse than I thought it would look.

Amazing if there's no injuries.

North West Ambulances Service are saying 87 people were assessed. Four people suffered minor injuries, but no one required treatment in hospital.

[airbusA346]

Photos from Network Rail & James Burrow on BBC site

[GliderRider]

Where were Jenny Agutter and her undergarments when they were needed?

[demic]

Lotobear said:

Looks that way - we've had some heavy rain in Cumbria over the last few days

Yep seen some pictures of the embankment. Not sure if they should be in the public domain so won’t share them here, no doubt they’ll be all over the internet soon enough anyway.

[the-norseman]

Yeh I've seen them as well.

[48k]

As a train driver, it must be in the back of your mind that this can happen when you are the first train of the day. Slightly unnerving I would have thought.

[Simpo Two]

Skodillac said:

What's he supposed to do/say? Also, so you really think that's the limit of his comment or action? He's not the Transport Minister, nor even in government.

What else did he say or do? Anyway, his comment seems to have gone now.

[Zed Ed]

airbusA346 said:

Photos from Network Rail & James Burrow on BBC site

Looks like they were already managing risk of slip on the embankment

[demic]

Yes it looks like that section of embankment was monitored, but given the ballast on the rail head of the down line the I would say train was already derailed as it went past that point. Depending on the linespeed the point of impact could have been could well have been half a mile back, on a section of embankment that wasn t monitored. If it was being monitored then that’s something the RAIB will be taking a close interest in.

Pretty horrible for the driver as it came to a stand, is it going to turn over?, is there something coming the other way?, is it going to plough into a stanchion? etc not pleasant at all.

Edited by demic on Monday 3rd November 13:30

[demic]

48k said:

As a train driver, it must be in the back of your mind that this can happen when you are the first train of the day. Slightly unnerving I would have thought.

Not really, the last time I hit something substantial (a tree), it was mid afternoon. Bad things can happen at anytime, best not to think about it.

Edited by demic on Monday 3rd November 13:32

[airbusA346]

demic said:

Yes it looks like that section of embankment was monitored, but given the ballast on the rail head of the down line the I would say train was already derailed as it went past that point. Depending on the linespeed the point of impact could have been could well have been half a mile back, on a section of embankment that wasn t monitored. If it was being monitored then that s something the RAIB will be taking a close interest in.

Pretty horrible for the driver as it came to a stand, is it going to turn over?, is there something coming the other way?, is it going to plough into a stanchion? etc not pleasant at all.

Edited by demic on Monday 3rd November 13:30

It has been mentioned on a rail forum that the speed limit is 80 or 110 depending on where it happened. There is also a photo on that thread showing passengers walking along the track past an 80 speed sign.

Good job it didn't happen a bit later, according to the same thread, approximately 10 minutes later the northbound train would have been passing the southbound train.

[Yertis]

GliderRider said:

Where were Jenny Agutter and her undergarments when they were needed?

Sadly that was my first thought also.

[Digga]

IMHO mirrors the landslides on the A591 in Thirlmere about 10 years back. If you look on Google, the forest area on the West side of the line was clearfelled recently. On that occasion, Storm Desmond got the blame, but it seemed clear to me, having walked that area on Thirlmere and looking at the line of fall of the landslide that forestry work had made 'stress raisers'.