Cumbria services affected after Sellafield train derailment
Last updated at 17:38, Thursday, 30 August 2012
TRAIN services are not likely to be resumed until Monday after a two-carriage passenger train en route to Sellafield derailed after a landslide in West Cumbria.
Efforts to 'rescue' passengers stranded on the derailed train this morning (Thursday) suffered a blow when the second train was affected by a new landslip.
The Sellafield-bound train carrying passengers from the derailed service was halted after encountering the second slide.
Passengers were taken to Nethertown to be transported by road to a reception centre at the Sellafield nuclear site.
The initial 6am Maryport to Lancaster service came off the line a mile south of St Bees after running into a landslip at around 6.45am.
Network Rail has confirmed 102 passengers were on board at the time but the train remained upright and there were no injuries.
The recovery train was sent to the scene to ferry the passengers, including a number of Sellafield workers, to the reception centre.
Trains are now running between Barrow and Sellafield. Buses are running between Whitehaven and Sellafield.
It is not known when the regular service will resume.
The police, along with officers from the British Transport Police, the Civil Nuclear Constabulary and other emergency services were called to the scene.
The following amended train plan is currently in operation:
Line of route: Carlisle – Workington – Whitehaven – Millom - Barrow
| Departure Time | Origin | Destination | Arrival Time |
| North Bound | |||
| 1448 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 1556 |
| 1454 | Barrow | Sellafield | 1719 |
| 1534 | Lancaster | Sellafield | 1906 |
| 1611 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 1719 |
| 1620 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 1730 |
| 1728 | Barrow | Sellafield | 2002 |
| 1758 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 1906 |
| 1855 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 2002 |
| 1931 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 2039 |
| 2030 | Whitehaven | Carlisle | 2138 |
| 2150 | Whitehaven | Workington | 2208 |
| 2305 | Whitehaven | Workington | 2322 |
| South Bound | |||
| 1420 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 1659 |
| 1430 | Sellafield | Barrow | 1530 |
| 1554 | Sellafield | Barrow | 1654 |
| 1512 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 1929 |
| 1631 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 1908 |
| 1727 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 1955 |
| 1803 | Sellafield | Barrow | 1903 |
| 1803 | Barrow | Preston | 1929 |
| 1813 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 1922 |
| 1854 | Sellafield | Barrow | 1954 |
| 1915 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 2024 |
| 2033 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 2142 |
| 2150 | Carlisle | Whitehaven | 2259 |
Network Rail said there are no passenger train services scheduled to run on this section of the line on a Sunday, which is why it is likely to be Monday before they are resumed.
Jo Kaye, Network Rail route managing director, explained that it is going to take some time to repair the damage and reopen the railway line: “The location is making the work we need to do extremely difficult. There is virtually no road access to the site so it is likely that all the material needed will have to be brought as close as possible by train.
“While we will get the line reopened as soon as we can, it is likely to be first thing on Monday morning (3 September) before normal services are resumed.”
First published at 08:31, Thursday, 30 August 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
could not agree with Brians post more.
If ever there was a service that should put safety at the very top of its agenda it is the railways.
bring back 'walking the line'.
If you think safety is expensive try having an accident!
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Have your say
Scot Rail have had virtualy the same problems on the west highland line with major derailments caused by flood water washing away track ballast and boulders being washed onto the line..years ago men used to walk lenghts of track to check it out..it's time to bring back this practice..it could save lives..
Posted by Russell Bloxsom on 31 August 2012 at 19:57