Train Derailment Near Shap, Cumbria: Four Injured as Avanti West Coast Hits Landslide

A passenger train traveling from Glasgow to London derailed early Monday morning near the village of Shap in Cumbria, northwest England, after striking a landslide amid severe weather conditions. The Avanti West Coast service, running at approximately 80 miles per hour, came off the tracks shortly after 6:10 a.m., with the front carriage derailed yet remaining upright.

Emergency services responded swiftly, evacuating all 87 passengers safely from the 11-carriage train. Only four individuals suffered minor injuries, none serious enough to require hospital treatment, according to the North West Ambulance Service. The passengers were escorted to the nearby Shap Wells Hotel for safety and assessment.

The derailment blocked all rail lines north of Preston, causing major disruption on the West Coast Main Line, a key railway artery between London and Scotland. Network Rail confirmed that extreme weather had caused significant rainfall and a landslip in the area, which the train collided with. The transport police reported that the train’s wheels of the leading vehicle were derailed, with the second vehicle partially affected.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander declared the incident a major one but confirmed there were no serious injuries. Railway services advised against travel north of Preston, warning that disruptions could last several days.

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The incident follows a separate violent event on another train in eastern England just two days earlier, highlighting continued concerns around safety on the UK rail network. Official reports reveal only a handful of derailments nationally in the past year, but such incidents remain rare.

Authorities continue to investigate the exact circumstances of the derailment while working to restore rail services and ensure passenger safety.