An investigation into a rail accident in England in which one woman died and five other people were seriously wounded is focusing on the track. The full horror of the crash, which happened on Friday night, was revealed in daylight. Carriages tumbled down an embankment after the train – en route to Glasgow from London – derailed at high speed.

The accident happened in a remote part of north western England. Some of the approximately 100 passengers on board the train, belonging to the company Virgin, were trapped inside their carriages for hours. Virgin boss Richard Branson praised the design of the train:

“The train itself was magnificent – it is built like a tank. I think if it had been any of the old trains the injuries and mortalities would have been horrendous,” he said. Investigators say they are looking into whether a set of points on the track may have been to blame. It is reported routine maintenance work had recently been carried out on the line in the area.

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