A significant rail incident has brought services between Scotland and England to a standstill after an Avanti West Coast train derailed in the Cumbrian countryside.
The Glasgow Central to London Eustony service came off the tracks near Shap on Wednesday afternoon, triggering a major emergency response and causing widespread disruption to one of Britain's busiest rail corridors.
Emergency Response Underway
Emergency services rushed to the scene following reports of the derailment. A spokesperson for Cumbria Police confirmed they were in attendance alongside other emergency responders, though fortunately there have been no reports of serious injuries.
The incident occurred in a remote rural area near Shap, a location known for its challenging terrain and steep gradients on the West Coast Main Line.
Widespread Travel Disruption
The derailment has created a domino effect of cancellations and delays across the network. National Rail has confirmed that disruption is expected to continue throughout Wednesday evening and potentially into Thursday morning.
Passengers travelling between Scotland and England face:
- Complete suspension of services between Carlisle and Penrith
- Significant delays to cross-border services
- Alternative travel arrangements including rail replacement services
- Advice to avoid non-essential travel on the route
Operator Response
Avanti West Coast has acknowledged the incident and is working to assist affected passengers. A statement from the operator read: "We're aware of an incident involving one of our services and are working closely with emergency services and Network Rail to manage the situation."
Network Rail engineers have been dispatched to assess the damage and begin recovery operations, though the complexity of such incidents means full service restoration may take considerable time.
Passengers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries or their train operator's website for the latest travel information before beginning their journeys.
