Train crash clearance taking time

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/england/cumbria/6415221.stm

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The operation to remove carriages from the site of the recent train crash in Cumbria is expected to last well into next week.

Four carriages, including the driver's, from the derailed Virgin Pendolino train have been removed by engineers.

Three have been taken by low loaders to Tebay where they will then be moved to Birmingham for forensic examination.

One person died and 20 were hurt when the London to Glasgow train derailed at Grayrigg on 23 February.

Two cranes, with lifting capacities of 1,000 tonnes and 800 tonnes, are carrying out the work.

Faulty points

John Ratcliffe, spokesman for British Transport Police, said: "The problem is that there are a lot of engineers overseeing the process and it is a painstaking because forensic evidence has to be preserved."

Owner Virgin Trains has not ruled out re-using the derailed carriages.

Margaret Masson, 84, from Glasgow died and 22 others were injured in the accident, which has been blamed on a faulty set of points.

Once all nine carriages are removed it will pave the way for the West Coast Mainline to fully reopen.