West Coast Mainline delays after man hit by train

RAIL passengers on the West Coast Mainline between Lancashire and Scotland are experiencing major delays today after a man was hit by a train near Lancaster.

Services are terminating at Preston Station. Picture: Complimentary

Services have been terminated at Preston while British Transport Police investigate the accident this morning.

Virgin Trains said to expect delays and cancellations and that it was organising bus replacements between Preston and Lancaster.

The firm said the man was hit and killed by the 7.37am from Glasgow Central to London Euston at around 9.45am.

Huge queues for coaches were then reported with about 700 passengers from one train stranded at Preston station.

One passenger told The Scotsman that there was “utter chaos” at Preston while rail officials attempted to organise coaches.

The West Coast Mainline was closed between then and 12.30pm when a single line service was opened between the two stations.

Jim Rowe, spokesman for Virgin Trains, said: “This accident has meant that the line has been pretty much shut between 9.45am and around 12.30pm when we managed to implement single line working to use one track.

“Both ourselves and TransPennine Express have been using replacement coach services to convey passengers between Preston and Lancaster.

“Virgin operate two trains per hour in both directions so four per hour have been disrupted and that gives you an idea of the level of disruption we’re looking at today. There will still be delays until mid-afternoon while we bring our services back in.”

Additional services have been running from Oxenholme to Edinburgh, Oxenholme to Glasgow and Lancaster to Glasgow.

Virgin Trains said to check Twitter or the company’s website for up to date replacement services.