Derailment near Manchester causes train disruption

Date: 24/1/2013

Trains between Blackpool and Manchester are likely to be disrupted for much of today (January 24th) after a derailment occurred yesterday afternoon.

Reports from the site of the incident say that the train came off the rails and caught fire at around 2.35pm, just outside Manchester city centre, the Blackpool Gazette stated.

Fire crews were called to the scene and 40 fire fighters dealt with the blaze, but all four people on board the train - a driver, an engineer and two passengers - were able to walk away from the incident.

They suffered from minor injuries, which have been checked out, but nobody was seriously hurt when the train derailed at Wilburn Street in Salford.

Following the incident, First TransPennine Express is operating a reduced service between Blackpool and Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport.

A spokesman for the train company told the news provider: "Network Rail are on site but due to the damage caused and the level of work required we will not be able to provide a normal train service.

"We will aim to operate an hourly service between Manchester Victoria and Blackpool North."

All trains going to and from the Lake District, Cumbria and Scotland will start and terminate at Preston until the site of the accident has been cleared.

Passengers will be able to get to Preston and Bolton via a limited train service from Manchester Victoria, but as there will be reduced capacity on all trains this is expected to be particularly busy.

Further to this, a bus replacement service will continue to run between Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly and Bolton.

All operators will be accepting tickets and those needing to get from Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria will be able to ride on the Metrolink.

The spokesman concluded: "We appreciate the inconvenience this derailment will cause and we would ask that customers allow additional time to complete their journey."

Posted by Mary Treen

Transport News and Transport Consulting News