Another incident at Grange-over-Sands 01 March 2025

[robvulpes]

I don't think anyone else has posted about this (yesterday), which is surprising.

https://cumbriacrack.com/2025/03/01...ith-vehicle-and-trailer-in-grange-over-sands/

A passenger train has collided with a commercial vehicle in Grange-over-Sands.

The incident happened earlier today on the Holme Island level-crossing on Meathop Road, near the Grange-over-Sands golf course.

All 150 passengers who were travelling on the affected train, the 11.51am Northern train from Barrow to Preston, are uninjured.

British Transport Police have now confirmed that the vehicle crossed the tracks while the train was approaching, which caused the train to strike the back of the vehicle.

The vehicle then drove away from the scene.

A spokesman for the British Transport Police said the incident could have been a lot worse and that it was ‘sheer luck’ that nobody had been injured.

The organisation is now working to trace the driver of the vehicle and is asking for witnesses to come forward.

Police, fire and ambulance services also attended the scene.

On social media, a spokesman for South Lakes Police said: “Today the three emergency services all worked together due to a train striking a vehicle and trailer near Meathop golf course.

“Thankfully there are no reported injuries but it did use up a lot of resources and left over 150 passengers rather annoyed.

“Unfortunately it now transpires that Network Rail have discovered a sinkhole so the line may be closed for a bit longer.

“All passengers have been transferred onto another train.”

Network Rail have since confirmed they have found a borehole on the line, unrelated to the collision, that is expected to cause disruption over the next few days.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We’re sorry for the disruption to people’s journeys in the South Lakes today. Earlier this afternoon a Northern train struck the rear of a vehicle at a level crossing near Grange-over-Sands.

“There we no injuries, the driver and all passengers were safely evacuated, and the damaged train has returned to its depot for repairs.

“While on site, our engineers have found an issue with the track bed, unrelated to the collision. While we continue to investigate this issue a rail replacement bus service will be in operation for journeys between Barrow to Preston and Oxenholme to Windermere, most likely for the rest of the evening.

“For journeys between Preston and Lancaster, ticket acceptance is in place on Transpennine Express and Avanti trains”

Passengers are urged to check before they travel. Some rail replacement services are in place.

Witnesses are asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting log 308 of 01/03/2025.

Almost exactly the same location as last year's sinkhole-related derailment and it sounds as though it was fortuitous that another potential derailment was averted when the staff dealing with the aftermath of the van/train collision found another sinkhole. Northern Rail's website reporting self-contradictory gobbledegook about what's going on:-

Cancellations to services at Grange-Over-Sands
Last Updated 02/03/2025 13:17
Due to a safety inspection of the track at Grange-Over-Sands fewer trains are able to run on all lines.
How does it affect your service:
Train services running through this station will be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
Our advice to our customers:
Our advice to our customers:
Services between Barrow-in-Furness and Lancaster are running after a safety inspection of the track but fewer trains are able to run and will be subject to delays and cancellations. Network Rail are still on site assessing the situation.
Please be aware that there will be significant delays in the Grange Over Sands area.
Effect on service:
Barrow-in-Furness - Lancaster services are unable to run in both directions.
Lancaster - Morecambe services can now run in both directions.
Windermere - Oxenholme services can now run in both directions
Barrow-in-Furness - Carlisle services are NOT affected in both directions.
Alternative travel advise:
Customers can use TransPennine Express services between Preston and Lancaster.
Customers can use Avanti West Coast services between Preston and Lancaster.
Rail replacement transport:
A coach operated by Bestway will depart Preston at 14:00 calling at stations to Barrow in Furness excluding Silverdale and Arnside.
Two 16 seater buses operated by RSZ Travel will depart Preston at 14:00 calling at stations to Barrow in Furness.
Please check station information posters for the location of the bus pick up points and be advised that bicycles, e-bikes and dogs (excluding service dogs) are not permitted on replacement road transport. Journey times will be extended by up to 60 minutes when using road replacement transport.
Other places to get more information:
Please travel on the next Northern train where available or visit www.northernrailway.co.uk/service-updates for any alternative options and for more information during times of disruption.

You can message us on X.com, @northernassist (between 06:00 and 22:00) or search for #NorthernUpdates.
If you've been delayed by 15 minutes or more, hold on to your tickets and claim compensation by visiting www.northernrailway.co.uk/delay-repay

Further Info
An update will follow within the next 5 hours.

 

[mbonwick]

Been reported that it's not a sinkhole, but one of the investigatory boreholes from the previous incident that hasn't been filled/capped.
Not sure if that's better or worse depending how you look at it!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Been reported that it's not a sinkhole, but one of the investigatory boreholes from the previous incident that hasn't been filled/capped.

That sounds uncomfortably like another instance of either everyone thinking someone else has done something, or more likely yet another instance of defective paperwork meaning in this case nobody knew it was there?

Either way - there have been far too many cases of paperwork being seriously inaccurate in recent years haven't there?

 

[swt_passenger]

Been reported that it's not a sinkhole, but one of the investigatory boreholes from the previous incident that hasn't been filled/capped.
Not sure if that's better or worse depending how you look at it!

‘Sinkhole’ seems to be an overused term nowadays. I’m sure it used to be reserved for some sort of natural geological process, not faults with drains, or water mains, or coal mining…

 

[sbrignall72]

‘Sinkhole’ seems to be an overused term nowadays. I’m sure it used to be reserved for some sort of natural geological process, not faults with drains, or water mains, or coal mining…

Culvert?

 

[lyndhurst25]

I was visiting Grange when this happened. Luckily I drove, rather than taking the train. A pair of police cars sped through the town centre, east to west, then a few minutes later west to east. Not sure if they were looking for the van that didn’t stop, or were just confused as to which level crossing the accident had been at.

 

[Deepgreen]

That sounds uncomfortably like another instance of either everyone thinking someone else has done something, or more likely yet another instance of defective paperwork meaning in this case nobody knew it was there?

Either way - there have been far too many cases of paperwork being seriously inaccurate in recent years haven't there?

Yes, and the more paperwork there is, the more there is to go wrong with it.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Yes, and the more paperwork there is, the more there is to go wrong with it.

Especially when the back office functions are done by a third party subcontractor...!!!

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Any residual issues after the sinkhole/borehole was discovered on Saturday or has everything now been sorted? Looks like trains are running 'normally' between Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I wonder if the Driver of the Van has since been caught? I'm guessing the Van must have been quite badly damaged after being hit by the train.

 

[Carlisle]

Maybe just the trailer sustained most of the damage.

 

[38Cto15E]

Sinkhole/Borehole, are the Police looking into it?

 

[MeathopMermaid]

Word on the street is that the culprit was a van/truck with a trailer containing scaffold poles. It was heading onto Holme Island, but the (privately owned) gate was facing the railway line was padlocked and the combined van and trailer but was too long to clear the line. The train driver was slowing down, but couldn't stop in time to avoid clipping the trailer. Not sure how accurate this is, but it does fit the layout of the crossing... If this is accurate, the van & driver would not have been able to escape the scene, as the train would be blocking its exit.
Begs the question why the van driver didn't stop before crossing the line in order to ensure he had clear access onto the Island. There is good visibility in both directions, so should have both seen and heard the train approaching.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

If this is accurate, the van & driver would not have been able to escape the scene, as the train would be blocking its exit.

Interesting if true, but why does the BTP story linked to in post #1 suggest that the vehicle drove away from the scene and they were looking to trace the driver? Something doesn't seem to ring true.

 

[Meerkat]

If this is accurate, the van & driver would not have been able to escape the scene, as the train would be blocking its exit.

Did the train stop over the crossing then?

 

[sbrignall72]

So how much was 195121 damaged.