Passengers safe after Blackpool to Liverpool train derails at Broadgreen station


A TRAIN carrying dozens of passengers has derailed on its way into a Liverpool station.

All services to and from Broadgreen station have been cancelled tonight following the incident, that happened at approximately 9.20pm.

The Liverpool-bound two-carriage train, which had been travelling from Blackpool, was carrying as many as 50 passengers, all of whom were safely escorted from the derailed train by fire and rescue officers and British Transport Police.

Passenger Ashley Drummond said there was a small thud before the train started vibrating from side to side and then "screeched to a halt".

Although several ambulances were on standby, and the driver and a guard were checked as a precaution, no injuries were reported.

Eyewitnesses reported debris from the train scattered on the track.

Fire crews said the back wheels of the rear carriage had come off the rails but could not speculate what might have caused the accident.

The train is being removed overnight and rigorous checking of the track will take place before services resume, expected to be some time tomorrow morning


THE ECHO

Passengers safe after Blackpool to Liverpool train drama at Broadgreen





UPDATE

DOZENS of train passengers faced an emergency evacuation last night as a train came off the rails – seemingly because the engine had fallen out.

A two-carriage train came off the rail at the Olive Mount junction, between Broadgreen station and Wavertree Technology Park, just after 9pm last night.

The Liverpool-bound two-carriage train, which had been travelling from Blackpool, was carrying as many as 50 passengers, all of whom were safely escorted from the sceneby Merseyside Fire and Rescue officers and British Transport Police.

Eyewitnesses reported "thousands of litres of spilled diesel", with one taking a picture of what appeared to be a large engine part lying on the tracks.

Emergency services confirmed the back wheels of the rear carriage had come off the rails, but would not say what might have caused the accident.

Passenger Ashley Drummond said there was a thud before the train started shaking from side to side and then "screeched to a halt".

Mr Drummond, 23, who had been travelling from Blackpool with girlfriend Carla Semple, said: "We didn’t realise what was happening at first.

"A few people panicked because we could smell diesel and there was so much smoke, but the driver came through and explained there wasn’t a chance of an outbreak of fire and told everyone to remain seated.

"It was quite daunting, but the driver and the fire brigade handled the situation fantastically and kept us in the know."

Travellers were kept on the train for 45 minutes before being escorted off and 100m down the track to safety.

"It was only then we saw the back of the carriage was hanging off the track and the back driver’s window was smashed," added Mr Drummond.

Although several ambulances were at the scene on standby, and the driver and a guard were checked as a precaution, no injuries were reported.

The train is being removed overnight and rigorous checking of the track will take place before services between Liverpool, Wigan and Manchester resume, expected to be some time this morning.

Last night the accident disrupted services between Liverpool, Manchester and Wigan.

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service station manager James Martin said: "We would like to praise the passengers for the calm way they handled the situation.

"Given the circumstances, they dealt with it with good humour and absolute calmness, and that certainly helped the emergency services bring this incident to a safe conclusion."

British Transport Police, Network Rail and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch continue to investigate the incident.

Last night Northern Rail were unavailable to comment.

A TRAIN carrying dozens of passengers has derailed on its way into a Liverpool station.

All services to and from Broadgreen station have been cancelled tonight following the incident, that happened at approximately 9.20pm.

The Liverpool-bound two-carriage train, which had been travelling from Blackpool, was carrying as many as 50 passengers, all of whom were safely escorted from the derailed train by fire and rescue officers and British Transport Police.

Passenger Ashley Drummond said there was a small thud before the train started vibrating from side to side and then "screeched to a halt".

Although several ambulances were on standby, and the driver and a guard were checked as a precaution, no injuries were reported.

Eyewitnesses reported debris from the train scattered on the track.

Fire crews said the back wheels of the rear carriage had come off the rails but could not speculate what might have caused the accident.

The train is being removed overnight and rigorous checking of the track will take place before services resume, expected to be some time tomorrow morning.


THE POST

The "engine had fallen out" !!!!
I've never heard of anything like this ever - I've heard about vandalism on the lines though.

Strange. Beats 'leaves on the line'

and "wrong kind of snow"

Sounds like a damaged wheel, not many things can throw the back wheels off. Guard must have had an "interesting" time - he might even had said "oh gosh" or similar!

Gloria's comment about the engine falling out is not as crazy as it sounds. Can't remember the class of unit, but a few years back, there was a spate of engines and/or transmission bits dropping off and causing general mayhem. I recall someone being badly hurt by a chunk of revolving prop shaft coming up through the floor and saying "hello" to the person sitting above.

No doubt all will be revealed in due course.

Just cribbed this from a rail site:-

"The cause of the incident isn't a track fault, the engine fell out and derailed the rear of the train on 142042 and caused it to derail"

DOH !

Spot on Gloria !!

ENGINE FELL OUT WOW

Three pictures on

Here - Clicky