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Drone images have been released of a Glasgow to London train which derailed in Cumbria early this morning. We previously told how a major incident was declared at around 6.10am after the 4.28am 0428 Avanti West Coast service from Glasgow to Euston derailed at Shap. North West Ambulance Service assessed 87 people at the scene, with only four people understood to have suffered minor injuries. The incident has sparked major travel disruption as trains between Preston and Carlisle are unable to run, reports Lancs Live. Investigations are now underway to find the cause of the derailment, with Network Rail revealing a suspected landslide before the incident. In a statement, they said: "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 a statement issued by North West Ambulance Service, it was revealed that they had stood down from major incident status, with no one requiring further hospital treatment. They said: "We can now confirm that we have stood down from major incident status and are withdrawing resources from the scene. "Our colleagues have assessed a total of 87 patients, with only four suffering minor injuries. No one required further hospital treatment, and all were discharged from the nearby rest centre. "An operation remains in place with our partners as they continue to recover the scene." Investigations will now take place as all lines remain blocked between Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District, according to Avanti West Coast, who are advising customers not to travel north of Preston today. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association, a transport union, also released a statement where they described the incident as 'troubling and extremely dangerous' with their 'number one priority' being the safety of railways. Commenting, 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. "Our union has thousands of Network Rail members who work incredibly hard every day of the year, making sure our railways run safely. This is always our number one priority. "There will be significant disruption in the days ahead on the West Coast Mainline, but our members know this is necessary to we can have answers and better understand what led to this incident in Cumbria." Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox Join Glasgow Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
