Train services resume after Cumbria crash

LONDON, Mar 12 (Reuters) Train services resumed today along the stretch of track in Cumbria where a high-speed Virgin train was derailed last month, killing a woman.

The 5:10 a.m. Manchester to Glasgow train was the first passenger service to travel through the area near Kendal following the accident.

A speed restriction of 50 mph is temporarily in place.

Margaret Masson, 84, died and more than 20 passengers were injured when the Pendolino train travelling at 95 mph came off the West Coast main line on February 23.

The driver, who stayed at the controls in his cabin as nine carriages tumbled down a steep grass bank, is still in hospital recovering from neck injuries.

Early crash investigations by British Transport Police and the Rail Accident Investigation Branch indicated that faulty points were to blame.

John Armitt, chief executive at Network Rail, which is responsible for track maintenance, said: ''We continue to work closely with accident investigators and will leave no stone unturned as we aim to get to the truth.

About 1,000 metres of new track and cabling have been replaced, as well as 600 metres of overhead power lines.

A temporary road had to be constructed across fields to enable two huge cranes to reach the remote site.

Virgin West Coast managing director Charles Belcher welcomed the re-opening, adding that ''we now need to work hard to rebuild confidence in the railway industry''.

REUTERS KR HS1545