Passenger dead and five seriously hurt in Cumbria train crash

An elderly woman has died and five other passengers have been seriously hurt in a train derailment in Cumbria.

Several carriages were left on their side after the Virgin 5.15pm London to Glasgow service crashed near Little Docker Cottage at Grayrigg, near Kendal, at 2015 GMT. It would have been travelling at 95mph when it crashed, Virgin Trains said.

Police said 22 people went to hospital and dozens more were "walking wounded". Passengers trapped inside had to climb to safety from their carriage through windows at the isolated accident scene located between Oxenholme and Tebay.

Investigators say no cause has yet been established, but rail union chief Bob Crow said he had been told the accident was due to a points failure.

Five people were last night fighting for life at Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire while five more with “severe” back, neck and head injuries were being treated at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary.

Nine fire engines and 50 ambulance workers were sent to the scene. A police helicopter and four RAF rescue helicopters from RAF Boulmer, Leconfield and Valley in North Wales were scrambled. Mountain rescue teams were also deployed. Because of the isolated nature of the site local farmers were enlisted to use tractors to tow rescue vehicles and ambulances in and out of the site. Greyrigg villagers set up makeshift reception centres in their homes to receive walking wounded and other passengers.

The train had about 120 people on board, Supt Jon Rush, of Cumbria Police, told a news conference. He said 22 passengers had been taken to three hospitals. The Royal Lancaster Infirmary and the Royal Preston Hospital took the most serious casualties. A total of five people had serious injuries. Police are still trying to establish the identity of the passenger who was killed, but they said she was an elderly female.

The line where the crash happened could be closed for five or six days, said Supt Rush. He added that investigators were trying to establish the cause of the crash.

The leader of the Rail Maritime and Transport Union, Bob Crow, told ITV News: "All our indications are that people on the scene are saying that it was a points failure. And I think people can dismiss the idea that it was a cow on the track or vandalism."

CONTACT NUMBERS

• Cumbria Police helpline: 0800 056 0146
• Police family liaison centre: 0800 40 50 40
• National Rail Enquiries: 08457 48 49 50
• Legal assistance 0800 066 99 07

All but one of the train's carriages had totally come off the tracks, a Cumbria Ambulance Service spokeswoman said. Speaking at just after midnight she added that all nine train carriages had been cleared of passengers.
She said there were 65 people with minor injuries who were treated at the scene and a nearby farm, before being taken to the Castle Green Hotel in Kendal.

Emergency crews said they faced difficult conditions, with pouring rain, waterlogged ground and narrow country lanes around the crash site.

The Pendolino tilting trains have been introduced by Virgin over the last three years and have a top speed of 125 mph.
Network Rail said the line speed for the area where the crash took place was about 95 mph.

Virgin Trains have suspended services between Lancaster and Lockerbie, with replacement buses operating. Trains are running as normal to and from Lockerbie, and between London and Lancaster. A spokesman said passengers travelling between Scotland and London could use GNER East Coast trains instead.

Those living close to the site described hearing the crash.

Adam Pashley, 19, said: "It was one hell of a bang but I never thought it would be a serious incident. About 15 minutes later I was looking out of my bedroom window and suddenly I started to see police and ambulance crews."

Donald Potter said: "My house is only about 120 yards from the track and I was sitting at my desk when I heard a very strange sound, it was completely unidentifiable, like nothing I have ever heard before, and lasted for about ten seconds."

People worried about friends or relatives on the train are asked to ring a Cumbria Police helpline on 0800 056 0146 or a British Transport Police family liaison centre on 0800 40 50 40.

Passengers wanting to travel through Cumbria, meanwhile, can ring National Rail Enquiries on 08457 48 49 50 before starting journeys.

If you were among the injured, or know any of the people involved in this incident, please call 0800 066 99 07 for immediate legal assistance

Whatever the circumstances, practical accident support, compensation claim assistance and legal advice is available free of charge from our expert First Response team on freephone 0800 037 1066.

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