Points in Cumbrian rail crash were faulty - reports |
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Published
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Mon, 26 Feb 2007 15:45
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LONDON (AFX) - The points on the railway in Cumbria where a Virgin Trains Pendolino derailed on Friday evening, resulting in the death of one person and injuries to a number of others, were faulty, according to reports.A so-called stretcher bar between the points on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) at Grayrigg near Kendal was missing, according to sources cited by the BBC and Sky News.One elderly woman passenger died shortly after the accident involving the 5.15 pm London Euston-Glasgow service at 8.15 pm on Friday and 22 other people on the train were taken to hospital, of whom five remain in a critical condition.The 11 mln stg Pendolino tilting train damaged in the accident is one of a 53-strong fleet built in Birmingham by French engineering group Alstom and owned by Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC train leasing business Angel Trains.The train, capable of running at 140 mph but limited to a top speed of 125 mph on the WCML, was travelling at around 95 mph when all its carriages derailed at Grayrigg near Kendal. Six of the nine coaches toppled down an embankment and came to rest at varying angles.Virgin and Stagecoach Group PLC run the UK's West Coast and Cross Country rail franchises via Virgin Rail Group, in which they hold stakes of 51 pct and 49 pct respectively.philip.waller@thomson.compaw/gpCOPYRIGHTCopyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved.The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News.AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited
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Broken rail blamed for CSX derailment 