Network Rail working with the Emergency services and industry partners, has carried out a live-action exercise in Cumbria to test their response plans to an emergency on the railway.

The exercise was codenamed Operations Salthouse #2 and took place on Thursday, 12 September and simulated a train being derailed.

The exercise extended to the simulation of multiple injuries suffered by passengers on the derailed train, and the response was complicated by a freight train carrying a flask of nuclear material passing in the opposite direction.

In response to the incident, colleagues from the police, British Transport Police, fire and ambulance services, train operator Northern, Direct Rail Services were supported by the Radsafe team and Network Rail’s own teams.

Local extras and representatives from the Casualties Union and Furness College played the roles of the train passengers, who were evacuated after the emergency response teams had worked together to secure the scene.

The exercise was co-ordinated by a Rail Incident Office from Network Rail with the support of a Tactical Incident Leader.

Throughout the exercise, everything went according to plan, with Network Rail working closely with the key agencies to ensure that they were working together in the event of an incident.

The exercise also enabled emergency responders to carry out the first live trial of the ‘ten second triage’ protocol that was developed following the Manchester Arena bombing.

Exercises such as Operations Salthouse #2 take place regularly to ensure Network Rai’s plans are continually updated.

One such exercise took place in a railway tunnel in the West Midlands last March and followed a major incident when a landslip in Shropshire caused the line to be closed.

“By holding detailed scenarios such as this, we help to make sure that our processes are robust, and that we are well prepared to keep our passengers and communities safe. I’d like to say a huge thanks to our partners from Northern, Direct Rail Services and the emergency services for taking part in the exercise. Events like this are vital for testing the way we will work together in an emergency. We will review the exercise in detail and the lessons we learn will be implemented going forwards.”

Wendy Potter, Network Rail’s operations manager for Cumbria