 Passengers said that the carriages of the train began rocking and swaying violently before the train left the rails and careered down an embankment , with the first carriages jack @-@ knifing and most of the train coming to rest in a field . The train was reported as being evacuated around midnight . Emergency crews scanned the train with thermal imagery equipment to make sure there was no one still inside . Up to 500 rescuers attended the scene , along with at least 12 ambulances , at least five fire engines , three Royal Air Force Sea King search and rescue helicopters , the International Rescue Corps , three civilian mountain rescue teams plus RAF Leeming Mountain Rescue Team , and one Merseyside Police helicopter . The rescue operation was hindered by rain , darkness , and access problems caused by the narrow country lanes and muddy fields . Emergency vehicles experienced difficult conditions , needing to be towed by farm vehicles or tractors after becoming bogged down in mud . The train 's derailment caused severe damage to the Overhead Line Equipment and tripped the entire circuit between Brock ( near Preston ) and Tebay resulting in a number of other electric @-@ powered services coming to a halt and all signalling equipment immediately turning to danger ( red ) in accordance with the system 's fail safe design . 
