AWC Derailment at Shap Summit 03/11/25

[trainophile]

Just been reported on BBC Radio 4 that Avanti saying the line will be closed for several days.

 

[Skiddaw]

Yep- it's been pretty wet up here. I presume that had something to do with it. We heard the emergency services rushing through the village earlier and wondered what was going on.

The Shap Wells hotel is lovely- I'm sure the passengers will be looked after. Just glad no-one hurt.

 

[Louby]

View attachment 191617
For those who call modern trains "plastic" - these images are a fine example of what's behind the body panels and why I'd far rather be in this situation in a modern train than something older.

A pigeon at high speed will dent the older ones ! I hit a deer once and it crumpled my defector on a 158

 

[brad465]

RAIL Magazine has posted the image on its website if a reliable source is still required:

https://www.railmagazine.com/news/a...reported-injuries-but-major-incident-declared

Their next edition is going to be one of their busiest yet with two major incidents to cover.

 

[Pete_uk]

Talk about dodging a bullet.

Glad all are OK.

 

[Mogster]

It looks lucky to have ended up sat in the middle of the two sets of track. To either side could have been much worse?

 

[Straus]

It looks lucky to have ended up sat in the middle of the two sets of track. To either side could have been much worse?

Derailing to the centre is normal with a landslip related derailment as more material covers the rail closer to the earthwork.

 

[43096]

It looks lucky to have ended up sat in the middle of the two sets of track. To either side could have been much worse?

Or if something had been coming the other way.

 

[Strathclyder]

Yeowch! Just shows how solid and well built the 390s are that the cab structure and windscreen are intact despite what was clearly a fairly substantial impact. It did it's job and protected the driver.

 

[AM9]

Derailing to the centre is normal with a landslip related derailment as more material covers the rail closer to the earthwork.

Which so long as there is nothing using the other track at the same time is fine.

 

[sh24]

Wow. As posted above, a great tribute to modern design and build standards.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What other Northbound / Southbound passenger services in the area have been caught up in the aftermath of this morning's derailment? Presume they'll all have to, in due course, return 'wrong direction' to an appropriate station so that passengers can then be de-trained. (And maybe then continue by other means).

 

[SWML9102]

Yeowch! Just shows how solid and well built the 390s are that the cab and windscreen are intact despite what was clearly a fairly substantial impact. It did it's job and protected the driver.

What's the yellow cable at the right hand side which appears to connect to the track?

 

[AM9]

What's the yellow cable at the right hand side which appears to connect to the track?

Headlights maybe, which are mounted on the absent front fairings. The cable may have been dragged under the front when the fairing became detached. Any track cables aren't likely to be as clean unless recently replaced.

 

[Deepgreen]

Utter trivia of course, but it's bizarre to have major incidents declared on the WCML and ECML concurrently - I can't recall the last time.

 

[SWML9102]

Ah ok, I wondered if it was something deliberately connected to the rail post accident, temporary earth, or signalling related.

 

[Razorblades]

Just looks like a piece of wiring hanging loose post-impact to me.

 

[AM9]

Ah ok, I wondered if it was something deliberately connected to the rail post accident, temporary earth, or signalling related.

All but the lead car is reported to be still on the track therefore the train earth is carried through. Normal practice is for the rearmost pantograph tp be used and it looks as though the knitting at the site was undisturbed by the derailment.

 

[Beebman]

ITV News Borders has posted a photo of passengers walking away from the scene:

https://www.itv.com/news/border/2025-11-03/ambulances-sent-to-scene-of-train-derailment-in-cumbria

Of interest is the 37 MP which is about half a mile south of Shap Summit and that the six-foot rail of the other track appears to be partially covered in ballast.

 

[Strathclyder]

Just been reported on BBC Radio 4 that Avanti saying the line will be closed for several days.

Not a surprise, given the damaged unit will need to be rerailed and dragged away and the track and earthworks will need to be inspected and repaired/secured/stablized. Rest of the week I can see it being closed.

 

[CharlieSpotted]

The following photo has been added to the BBC live feed, from a Network Rail release:

Photo shows the lower portion of the leading vehicle derailed between the two lines.

 

[Western Lord]

Wow. As posted above, a great tribute to modern design and build standards.

How old does a train have to be before it is no longer considered modern? The 390s were designed more than a quarter of a century ago.

 

[Guard86]

Landslip behind the train and the front of the train fouling the Down line. How does one run another train alongside?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Very glad no one is hurt, though my thoughts are with everyone onboard, I’m sure some must have been shaken.

 

[trainophile]

What sort of speed would the train have been doing at that point?

 

[D6130]

What sort of speed would the train have been doing at that point?

80 mph/129 kph.

 

[hexagon789]

What sort of speed would the train have been doing at that point?

Up to 80mph, the derailment is around the area where speed goes from 80mph to 110/EPS 125 IIRC.

 

[BrummieBobby]

God, what an awful weekend for the railways.

Thoughts to everybody involved.

 

[Strathclyder]

Just been reported on BBC Radio 4 that Avanti saying the line will be closed for several days.

Not really a surprise, given the damaged unit will need to be rerailed and dragged away and the track and earthworks will need to be inspected and repaired/secured/stablized.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What sort of speed would the train have been doing at that point?

I asked a similar question, upthread, at post #52. *Might* possibly have been ballpark 80 m.p.h. As well that the train stayed upright.