Rail chiefs move to cut wildfire risk

Steam trains running along a coastal line must now operate with the help of a diesel locomotive, after a series of wildfires possibly caused by sparks from a passing service.

Firefighters tackled more than 40 blazes across Cumbria last weekend, with several near the railway line between St Bees and Nethertown.

The cause is being investigated, with Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service suggesting they may have been started accidentally by a steam train.

Network Rail said the step was in place until further notice and would "ensure that while steam will still be visible from the chimney, the diesel locomotive will handle the actual work, significantly reducing the risk of fire".

A spokesperson added: "The safety of our passengers and colleagues is our top priority and we are carrying out an investigation to understand what happened."

Hundreds of firefighters worked "from dusk until dawn" last weekend, the fire service's Andrew Lowes told the BBC on Monday.

The fires caused severe delays to services between Whitehaven and Sellafield and damaged signalling cables.

One of the steam train operators using the route, Saphos, denied it was the source of any line-side problems.

Trains on their Lakelander rail tour had to turn back after the line became "inaccessible", it said.

West Coast Railways, which owns another steam train in operation last Saturday, did not respond to a request for comment.

Follow BBC Cumbria on X, Facebook, Nextdoor and Instagram.