2025 Shap derailment

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2025 Shap derailment
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The train involved in the derailment, pictured in July 2024.
Cumbria UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Location of accident within Cumbria
Details
Date3 November 2025 (2025-11-03)
06:10
Location Shap Rural, Cumbria
Coordinates 54°29′06″N2°39′03″W / 54.485116°N 2.650969°W / 54.485116; -2.650969
CountryUnited Kingdom
Line West Coast Main Line
Operator Avanti West Coast
Service1R22 04:28 Glasgow Central – London Euston
Incident typeDerailment
CauseObstruction on line due to landslip
Statistics
Trains1
Passengers86
Crew9
Injured4

The 2025 Shap derailment occurred on 3 November 2025 when a passenger train operated by Avanti West Coast ran into a landslide obstructing the West Coast Main Line at Shap Rural, Cumbria, England. Four minor injuries were reported.

Contents

Incident

At 06:10 on 3 November 2025, an Avanti West Coast passenger train was derailed approximately 1 mile (1,500 m) south of Shap Summit, Cumbria. The service involved was the 04:28 Glasgow Central to London Euston (service 1R22), [1] operated by a British Rail Class 390 Pendolino [2] (unit number 390 117). [3] The train was travelling at approximately 83 mph (134 km/h) when it struck the landslide and ran derailed for about 560 m (1,840 ft). [4] Photographs show that both of the leading vehicle's bogies and the front bogie of the second vehicle had derailed. [5] All 95 people on board (86 passengers and 9 crew) [4] [6] were evacuated and taken to the Shap Wells Hotel, walking along the track to reach the hotel. Four minor injuries were reported; [7] some passengers were reported to have suffered from shock. [1] All the passengers had been escorted off and taken to their onward destinations by 10:40. [8]

An initial report published on 12 November stated that: "a drainage channel, which runs across the slope above the washed-out material, was unable to accommodate the volume of water which was present. This led to the slope material below becoming saturated, initiating the landslip." [4]

Aftermath

The North West Ambulance Service declared a major incident, which was stood down at 10:20. [7] Disruption to services on the West Coast Main Line between Carlisle and Preston was expected to last for many days. [1] Avanti West Coast advised people not to attempt to travel north of Preston for the rest of the day. [5] TransPennine Express services were also affected, being unable to run between Carlisle and Preston. Passengers were advised to avoid travelling if possible. [7] The train was re-railed and removed from the site during the night of 3–4 November [9] and was hauled to Carlisle by Class 57 locomotive 57 309. [3] The West Coast Main Line through Shap reopened at 19:19 on 4 November, [10] with Network Rail advising passengers that the normal timetable would resume on 5 November. [8] Incumbent local MP Tim Farron and General Secretary of train drivers' union ASLEF Mick Whelan both issued statements requesting that Network Rail be given suitable funding to prevent similar incidents in the area. [10]

Investigations

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch despatched a team of investigators to the site. [11] They announced a formal investigation into the accident on 12 November. [4] Network Rail and the Office of Rail and Road also opened investigations into the accident. [12] [5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Glasgow to London train derails in Cumbria - no injuries reported but 'days of disruption' expected". BBC News Online. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  2. ↑ Network Rail WCML [@networkrailWCML] (3 November 2025). "Passenger update Monday 3 November 2025" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. 1 2 Stubbings, David. "Shap derailment: Pendolino rerailed and moved but WCML still closed north of Preston". www.railmagazine.com. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Derailment of a passenger train at Shap". Rail Accident Investigation Branch. 12 November 2025. Retrieved 12 November 2025.
  5. 1 2 3 Stubbings, David. "Avanti West Coast train derails at Shap - no reported injuries but major incident declared". Rail. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
  6. ↑ Halliday, Josh; Boyd, Raphael (3 November 2025). "Passengers tell of 'panic and distress' after train derailment in Cumbria". The Guardian. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "87 passengers evacuated in major incident after train derailment at Shap in Cumbria". ITV News. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Cumbria train derailment: West Coast Mainline day two disruption". BBC News. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  9. ↑ Sherlock, Gemma. "Second day of disruption after train derailment". BBC News Online. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  10. 1 2 "Cumbria train derailment line reopens". BBC News. 4 November 2025. Retrieved 4 November 2025.
  11. ↑ Rail Accident Investigation Branch [@raibgovuk] (3 November 2025). "RAIB has deployed a team of inspectors to the derailment in Cumbria. They will gather evidence to determine what further action, if any, we need to take" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  12. ↑ "Train derailment latest: Major incident declared in Cumbria - as emergency workers at scene". Sky News. Retrieved 3 November 2025.
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