Eighty-four-year-old Margaret Masson from Glasgow died in the crash, which left 22 passengers needing hospital treatment, including Mrs Masson's daughter and son-in-law, Richard and Margaret Langley, of Southport. People living close to the track reported hearing a loud bang as the 5.15pm London to Glasgow service flew off the tracks at 95mph and hurtled into neighbouring farmland, at 8.40 pm.
Just minutes earlier the train, carrying 110 passengers and four staff, had pulled out of Oxenholme Station, heading north. John Heaton Cooper, on whose land the train crashed, was first on the scene and set about helping free passengers in the second carriage of the train, which had overturned. Nine carriages were left on their side, with some "stuck up in the air".
BBC News overview of crash site (excellent diagram) (
visit link)
The village's school was used as an emergency reception centre, manned by the St John Ambulance, Women's Royal Voluntary Service, police and representatives from Virgin Rail. Injured passengers were taken to Westmorland and Furness General hospitals. More serious casualties were airlifted to Lancaster Royal Infirmary and the Royal Preston Hospital. (Mobile phone images on the night. (
visit link)
Sir Richard Branson, Virgin rail boss, said in an emotional speech he praised the efforts of Mr Black, the driver, who stayed at the controls of the train as it left the track. Later in the week, Sir Richard paid tribute to the local people who helped at the scene of the crash. "I must say I was very impressed to hear how those kind people rallied round, opening their hearts and opening their doors to strangers in distress."
Grayrigg became the centre of a media frenzy as dozens of journalists set up camp around the stricken train. Interim findings revealed that a set of points were faulty and that a scheduled inspection of the track might have been missed. Investigators with the Rail Accident Investigation Branch found that of three stretcher bars - used to hold the moving rails a fixed distance apart - at the points, one was not in position, one had nuts and bolts missing, and two of the three were fractured. (You can see these points from parking area suggested below.)
The A685 between Grayrigg and Tebay was closed off as the first of the giant cranes designed to lift the carriages was put into place over a temporary road constructed through the fields, able to carry up to 50 tons. The first of the carriages was lifted late on March 1, see photos, and the work is expected to continue until March 7. The A685 was closed throughout.
The driver, Iain Black, did an amazing job. He stayed in his seat for the quarter mile that the train came off the rails to control the train. He didn't try to protect himself by running back from his cab and therefore he sustained quite serious injuries to his neck. He did an extraordinary job. He could have dashed from his cab but he didn't. The local people were really great. Emergency and health workers, mountain rescue volunteers and railway workers from Virgin, Network Rail and other companies got thanks for their support and for all that they did for the people caught up in that tragedy.
VISIT
Park at the end of the road cut by the railway line. N 054 21.382 W002 39.777. Walk back down the smooth, recently tarmacked lane to a footpath Finger post in the hedge at N054 21.463 W002 39.744. Once over the stile, look south towards railway line. It was on that banking. Nearest houses Bracken House and Bracken Cottage, with Cross Houses hamlet on the other side of the tracks.
Only evidence remaining are smooth, tarmac roads, brand new fencing and new gates and cattle grids, and the smooth grassed banking.
LINKS
Westmorland Gazette (local paper) (
visit link)
BBC Cumbria (local radio and TV) This page links to local reaction and eye witness reports, with many pictures. (
visit link)
BBC Cumbria's news stories and reports. (
visit link)
Streetmap (
visit link)