About 90 passengers and crew were rescued from a high-speed London-bound train that derailed in Cumbria.
Avanti West Coast confirmed its 4.28am service from Glasgow Central to Euston had come off the tracks shortly after 6am after calling at Penrith.
It is thought that a landslip caused by severe weather was a factor in the derailment.
Pictures from the scene showed the train had remained upright rather than toppling on its side - suggesting that passengers had a lucky escape. The train had sustained damage to its front end and appeared to have come to a halt between the northbound and southbound tracks.
The 1R22 Glasgow - London derailed passenger train at Shap @cumbria pic.twitter.com/rfb4mesKfU
— Nodrog (@nodrogvlogs) November 3, 2025
The electric-powered Pendolino trains are typically 11 carriages long when running between Scotland and London and travel at speeds of up to 125mph on the West Coast Main Line.
The immediate priority was getting the passengers safely off the train, according to Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. This had been achieved by 10am, the Standard was told.
North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) sent paramedics to the scene near the village of Shap.
Ms Alexander said a major incident had been declared but “there are no reported injuries”.
She told LBC Radio: “I have been informed of this incident within the last half-an-hour or so. We will work swiftly to make sure that people can get off the train safely.”
⚠️ We are investigating a train derailment near Shap in Cumbria.
— West Coast Main Line (@networkrailWCML) November 3, 2025
🚫 As a result, we are unable to run trains between Preston and Carlisle.
💬 We’re sorry to passengers affected by this morning’s disruption.
📲 Please check @nationalrailenq for the latest travel information. pic.twitter.com/mHKihnLEEk
The Pendolino trains, which tilt to enable them to travel as quickly as possible, can carry up to 600 passengers though only 86, plus train crew, were onboard the 4.28am service at the time of the derailment due to the early morning departure.
The service would have picked up passengers at Carlisle at 5.42am and Penrith North Lakes at 5.59am and would have been due at Oxenholme at 6.23am.
The train had been due in at Euston at 9.15am.
Derailments are rare on the UK railways and the incident will be investigated by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch.
A Network Rail spokesperson said at midday on Monday: “All passengers have now been evacuated following this morning's train derailment near Shap in Cumbria. There are no major injuries to passengers or staff.
“The incident followed a suspected landslip in the area which has been experiencing significant adverse weather conditions and extremely heavy rainfall continues to compound the issue. Our dedicated teams are working to get trains back up and running as quickly as we can. We are working with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch to establish the cause of the derailment.
“Right now, we’re unable to run trains between Preston and Carlisle. We’re urging passengers to check with their train operator or National Rail Enquiries for the latest information.
“This incident will cause disruption for the rest of the day but we are working to reopen the line as soon as it is safe to do so. We appreciate the patience of passengers while we work to resolve this issue.”
In an updated statement at 2pm on Monday, Avanti West Coast said: "There were 86 people plus our train crew onboard. All passengers and colleagues were evacuated to the nearby Shap Wells Hotel.
“All those onboard were assessed by paramedics, and four were treated for minor injuries. Thankfully, none required hospital treatment and all were discharged, and we’ve now provided transport for customers to continue their journey south or return north.”
Avanti West Coast managing director Andy Mellors said: “Our main priority is the safety and wellbeing of our customers and colleagues following this serious incident.
“I would like to take this opportunity to express my appreciation and gratitude for the actions of our colleagues onboard which has been warmly received and appreciated by customers.
“I would also like to thank our staff who responded, the emergency services, Network Rail and the local hotel who laid on facilities for everyone onboard. We are now ensuring we provide support to those affected.”
The West Coast Main Line will remain closed while the RAIB investigation is carried out and the train recovered.
Avanti West Coast has advised passengers not to travel to or from destinations north of Preston, and has warned of “significant disruption” until the route can be reopened.
National Rail said the incident happened between Penrith and Oxenholme, affecting trains running between Carlisle and Preston.
⚠️All lines are blocked north of Preston due to a derailed train between Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District. Please do not attempt to travel north of Preston today.
— Avanti West Coast (@AvantiWestCoast) November 3, 2025
🎟️Customers with tickets for journeys north of Preston dated 3 November will be able to use their…
TSSA general secretary Maryam Eslamdoust said: “The derailment of the Avanti West Coast train near Shap is very serious and will require thorough investigation.
“It’s always troubling and extremely dangerous when a train leaves the track under any circumstances, so it is right that a major incident has been declared.
“Thankfully it seems there and no major injuries and we thank the emergency services, including British Transport Police, for all they are doing for those who were on board."
