West Coast train suffers ‘significant damage’ in derailment
A passenger train sustained “significant damage” after derailing and hitting an overhead power mast in a depot in Glasgow.
One of the five carriages of the Super Voyager diesel train was “severelytwisted”,accordingto an industry source.
Butaclaimthetrainisawriteoff has been denied.
The incident happened while the train was being moved in thepolmadiedepotinthesouth eastofglasgowearlylastfriday.
The train hit a mast supporting overhead power wires for electric trains to move around the depot.
The crash happened just over amonthafterthecompletionof an£8millioninteriorrefurbishmentofavanti’sfleetof20super Voyager trains.
The 20-year-old tilting trains operate between Glasgow, Edinburgh and London via Birmingham, and are due to be replaced next year.
Twostafffromdepotoperator Alstom on board the train were uninjured.
A source said: “The train involved in the derailment suffered substantial damage and reportssuggestcouldbewritten off,asitsbodyshellsareseverely twisted. With the frames twisted there is said to be little hope of meaningful repairs.”
Alstom said two carriages were damaged, but said the extent was being assessed.
A spokesperson said: “A low speed derailment of a Super Voyager train occurred at Alstom’s Polmadie depot in the early hours of yesterday morning.thetrainwasnotinpassenger service and there were two staff members on board, who wereuninjuredduringtheincident.
"The Office of Road and Rail [regulator] have been informed and we are working with our customer, Avanti West Coast, on our own investigation.”
It is understood the seriously damaged carriage will be taken to an Alstom services depot in Staffordshire for assessment, which will take “many weeks”. However, the whole train is not thought likely to be written off.
Alstomsaidanoverheadpower stanchion was damaged and was being repaired, but operations in the depot were now back to normal.
A spokesperson for the UK Departmentfortransport’srail accident investigation branch said: “We were notified and made enquiries but will not be taking any further action.”