The West Coast Main Line is set to fully reopen later tonight following a derailment near Shap, Cumbria, on Monday that caused major disruption. Passenger and freight services are expected to resume after extensive repair work between Preston and Carlisle by Network Rail engineers.

Teams have worked around the clock since yesterday morning, and through today in challenging conditions, to remove the derailed train and repair overhead line equipment, tracks, and the surrounding embankments. The train, travelling from Glasgow Central to London Euston, hit an object at around 6.10am. Fortunately, no serious injuries were reported, and all passengers were evacuated to a nearby hotel before continuing their journeys by road.

Phil James, North West Route Director for Network Rail, said: “We’re thankful to passengers for their patience during this disruption. Our teams have worked extremely hard in very challenging conditions to make sure the West Coast Main Line can be reopened to the public as soon as possible. Passengers should now check with train operators for the latest information on their services for tomorrow morning.”

Andy Mellors, Managing Director at Avanti West Coast, added: “I would firstly like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding during what has been an extremely challenging time. Not only have our staff, industry colleagues and the emergency services been rightly praised by customers for their response to the incident as well as the disruption, but Network Rail as well as other industry partners have also been working hard to restore the infrastructure and clear the route. The advice remains that we strongly advise customers continue to check the Avanti West Coast website and National Rail enquiries for the latest travel updates.”

The first passenger services to operate on the line will be the overnight Caledonian Sleeper services scheduled for tonight (Tuesday), marking the full reopening of the critical West Coast Main Line corridor.

Image: Network Rail