Avanti West Coast train suffers 'significant damage' in Glasgow derailment

A passenger train sustained “significant damage” after derailing and hitting an overhead power mast in a depot in Glasgow, The Scotsman has learned.

Avanti West Coast's Super Voyager fleet has just undergone an £8 million refurbishment. Picture: Paul Harmer Photography/Avanti West Coast

One of the five carriages of the Super Voyager diesel train was “severely twisted”, according to an industry source.

But a claim the train is a write-off has been denied.

The incident happened while the train was being moved in the Polmadie depot in the south east of Glasgow early last Friday.

Polmadie depot also services Caledonian Sleeper trains. Picture: Richard Sutcliffe/Creative Commons

The train hit a mast supporting overhead power wires for electric trains to move around the depot.

The crash happened just over a month after the completion of an £8 million interior refurbishment of Avanti’s fleet of 20 Super Voyager trains.

The 20-year-old tilting trains operate between Glasgow, Edinburgh and London via Birmingham, and are due to be replaced next year.

Two staff from depot operator Alstom on board the train were uninjured.

A source said: “The train involved in the derailment suffered substantial damage and reports suggest could be written off, as its body shells are severely 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 Friday morning [January 29].

"The train was not in passenger service and there were two staff members on board, who were uninjured during the incident.

"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.

Alstom said an overhead power stanchion was damaged and was being repaired, but operations in the depot were now back to normal.

A spokesperson for the UK Department for Transport’s rail accident investigation branch said: “We were notified and made enquiries but will not be taking any further action.”

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