Rush hour commuters face massive disruption at one of Britain's busiest railway stations as blaze breaks out beside track
Rush hour commuters at one of Britain's busiest railway stations face lengthy delays after a fire broke out next to the track.
National Rail is warning of cancellations and delays for passengers travelling between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport following the blaze.
It has since been confirmed that the fire near the track at Acton Main Line has been extinguished, allowing trains to run through the station again.
Passengers are being told there will be a 'major disruption' until 10pm with delays up to 35 minutes.
In an update, National Rail confirmed the fire has been extinguished and that 'journeys running through this station to begin to run as normal again.'
It said: 'Until service recovers, trains running between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport / Reading may still be cancelled, delayed by up to 35 minutes or revised.
'Major disruption is expected to continue to impact services until 22:00.'
A notice at the station reads: 'Due to a fire next to the track between London Paddington and Reading some lines are blocked.
In an update, National Rail confirmed the fire has been extinguished and that 'journeys running through this station to begin to run as normal again'. Pictured: A Great Western Railway train stopped at London Paddington
'Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised.
'Disruption is expected until 8pm.'
A Great Western Railway spokesperson said: 'Due to a fire next to the track between London Paddington and Reading some lines are blocked.
'Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed.'
Passengers have taken to social media to vent their frustrations of the rush hour delays.
One user wrote: 'Huge delays at Paddington outward bound to all destinations. As usual with, there is no info, just surley unhelpful staff who don't give a damn. More examples of UK's worst run railway.'
Another added: 'Acton main line area set on fire now I'm stuck at Paddington sweating my balls off.'
While a third said: 'Paddington is at a standstill.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Glastonbury Festival's tactics for managing its huge crowds
Organisers of the Glastonbury Festival reduced the number of tickets this year in order to give festival-goers more festival is always busy but with fewer people compared to last year, organisers hoped to make the experience more also added a new field called the Dragon's Tail so that the 200,000 revellers could spread out more across the Worthy Farm organiser Emily Eavis said she thinks people "get around the site differently since Covid, tending to move more in a herd". "It is still busy but I feel they have managed it in a way where the crowds are quite separated. The security and stewards direct people and they actually know where they're going this year," a woman working at an ice cream van on site told BBC Points West.A festival goer said: "Last year actually was quite overwhelming. It felt too busy. It detracts from the festival a bit because you couldn't always get to where you wanted."It seems to be crushing less, they have more barriers in different places, so it's a lot more comfortable this year." Sally Cordon, one of the stewards at the site, said they function as traffic control."We stand at the main junctions and basically make sure people don't get run over," she said."The lovely thing about this festival is that everybody just loves being here, I've not seen any trouble."
Telegraph
2 hours ago
- Telegraph
Introducing the Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag
As the holiday season approaches, it's important to choose the best luggage. The Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag is the luxury weekend bag of choice, blending practicality, durability and style. The ideal lightweight travel bag for regular travellers, the Antler Overnight Bag makes the perfect companion on a quick trip in the UK or Europe. The Summer Capsule collection has everything from designer weekend luggage to sports-inspired bags, as well as accessories that blend function with aesthetics. In a cool palette of cream, black and Antler Green, this is a premium take on seasonal travel. If you're escaping on a city break with your partner, or attending a business event overseas, you need a reliable cabin bag that can accommodate your clothes and toiletries as well as a laptop and other tech. In the Antler Spend & Save promotion – which runs until July 7, 2025 – you can get up to 20 per cent off when you spend £250. This means you can make great savings when you buy any product in the Antler range, including the Reversible Tote Bag in Cream/Black, the Tennis Racket Cover, or the iconic Cabin Suitcase in Antler Green. Antler: The Summer Capsule Collection Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag in Taupe £125, Antler This premium overnight bag is designed for travellers who need a little extra space for their essentials. Your laptop can simply slide into a dedicated sleeve alongside your other items and travel documents. A hidden pocket in the back strap allows you to store your passport securely, and there's a smart magnetic flap for any other valuables. As a designer weekend bag, the Antler overnight bag is a luxury lightweight travel bag with a versatile holdall design, so it's perfect for short leisure breaks and overnight business travel. It has a comfortable leather handle as well as a long strap for easy carrying. There's even a convenient back strap that slides over a suitcase handle, giving you greater control in busy airports. The Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag is a taupe holdall made from 100 per cent recycled polyester, so it's ideal for the eco-aware traveller. This luxury weekend bag has been designed to meet under-seat airline regulations, so it's easily stored on your flight. Most carriers won't charge you to bring the bag into the cabin. Order your Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag in Taupe today. Antler's Reversible Tote Bag from the Summer Capsule collection is a versatile 35-litre bag designed for holding everything from your beach towel to your swimwear. Made from durable water‑repellent polyester, the bag can be switched with ease between cream and black, giving you two stylish summer looks. With reinforced straps and short handles, as well as an internal hanging slip pocket, this premium reversible bag keeps all your essentials neatly organised. Its structured base helps to keep its shape even under heavy use and storage. The lightweight design makes it the ideal companion for short seasonal escapes. Buy the Reversible Tote Bag today. Tennis Racket Cover in Cream £90, Antler This limited-edition Antler Tennis Racket Cover in cool cream with black accents is the perfect companion to the Reversible Tote Bag. Made from durable water-repellent fabric with leather detailing, it will easily handle the changeable British summers. With a stylish zip closure and an adjustable strap, the racket cover can be carried by hand, on the shoulder or across your body. It even clips to the tote bag, giving you two classic court accessories this summer. It fits a standard tennis racket and has the stylish Antler wordmark on the cover. Order the cool cream Tennis Racket Cover now. Icon Stripe Cabin Suitcase in Antler Green £185, Antler Antler's new Icon Stripe Cabin Suitcase is perfect for city breaks and weekend escapes. It's small enough to meet airline luggage regulations but, with a packing capacity of more than 38 litres, it's big enough to handle all your essentials for a short work trip or overnight stay. Made from high-quality water-resistant recycled polycarbonate, the tough outer shell keeps all your belongings safe in busy airports. The Silent Glide 360 spinner wheels and comfortable handle make it a breeze to steer in tight spaces. It even has a TSA-approved combination lock for added security. Discover the new Antler Icon Stripe Cabin Suitcase today. FAQs Who is the Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag for? Antler's overnight bags are designed for modern travellers who want more space than a backpack but without any additional bulk. The Urban Light Bag is ideal for short trips overseas, weekend getaways with your partner, or business travel. The bags are especially useful for anyone travelling by air because they are compatible with under-seat storage regulations. Made of durable lightweight recycled polyester, the Antler range also suits eco-conscious commuters. Is the Antler Urban Light Overnight Bag the right size for cabin luggage? At just 45 × 28 × 20cm, the Urban Light Bag comfortably fits within IATA cabin-baggage limits (56 × 45 × 25cm). It also conforms with under-seat rules for airlines such as EasyJet, Ryanair, Wizz and BA. With a 25-litre capacity, it's compact yet has enough space for your overnight essentials. Most airlines will treat the overnight bag as a free item of personal carry-on luggage. How durable are Antler overnight bags? Backed by a lifetime warranty, the latest range of Antler overnight bags undergo rigorous testing. Lightweight fabrics and polycarbonate materials are built to last. Even the zips and handles are long-lasting. The bags withstand the rigours of transit through busy airports and the process of loading in and out of overhead lockers. All overnight bags in the range have robust construction for a lifetime of travelling.
BBC News
2 hours ago
- BBC News
Thousands queue for Wimbledon opening day
Wimbledon 2025Dates: 30 June-13 July Venue: All England ClubCoverage: Live across BBC TV, radio and online with extensive coverage on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, Connected TVs and mobile app. Full coverage guide The sight of thousands of people queuing in the hope of gaining entry to the grounds is one of the most celebrated quirks of Wimbledon, a tournament renowned for its strong ties to the influence of technology increases in sport, with this the first Championships without the presence of line judges, the sense of community and camaraderie apparent in the queue continues to not only endure, but long waits - those at the front of the queue arrived as early as noon on Friday to claim their spot - and soaring temperatures before the first day of action at SW19, there are few grumbles of discontent with the process as more than 10,000 people arrived at Wimbledon Park before the first day of play."It's just nice to be able to take time out of everything else. It's like being in a parallel universe," says Vicki Broad, from Neath in Wales, who along with husband Nigel are first in this year's queue."We've met people from all over the world, just chatting away and getting to know people."It's a community of people, all with a common goal. There are never any problems in the queue, the stewards run it so well."You know, the world's crazy at the moment. But it's like you take time out from that and you're all just talking about tennis, you're talking about where you come from, how long it took you to get here, how long you're staying for, it's just lovely." Queuing for access to the grounds and the limited show court tickets available - 500 tickets are available for Centre Court, Court One and court two - usually begins in Wimbledon Park the night before each day's the opening day, however, eager fans get into position as much as a couple of days is permitted until the 42,000 capacity is reached and the All England Club advised people to stop travelling once the queue exceeded 10,000 on Monday morning. Linda Jacobs flew in from Houston, Texas on Thursday night with her friend Aleta to arrive second in this year's queue, after being fifth last year."If you're going to fly that far, you want to make sure you get a really wonderful ticket!" said Jacobs."This is, like, the most genteel festival you can ever come to. It makes you love England. Everyone is so nice. You guys queue so well. I just fell in love with it when I came here." Being able to watch a specific player offers huge motivation for many in the visiting with friends from Madrid, said: "We were here last year to watch Carlos [Alcaraz] in the first round and our motivation for queueing was to see him play on Centre Court on the opening day."It's an incredible experience, very unique, obviously. Camping here just to get tennis tickets I think is something that you can only do here in Wimbledon."The first time I came, I thought it was crazy. Then I decided to do it thinking, 'oh, my God, this is crazy'. Then, since we did it, we can't stop. You meet people from everywhere and it's just a great experience. We love it." Life as a dedicated tennis superfan The days of queuing for tickets are long behind perhaps the most famous fans in tennis - Jannik Sinner's faithful Carota group of childhood friends from Turin have regularly attended the world number one's matches over the past two years dressed as carrots, after Sinner once ate one during a match in their fame has increased they have been supplied with tickets by tournament organisers, sponsors and even Sinner, with whom they have direct communication on WhatsApp and frequently send good luck messages. For Wimbledon this year they will have their own watch-along show in Italy alongside players and celebrities - but that will change should Sinner reach the final and potentially contest another epic major final against Carlos Alcaraz."It is something really crazy, it started as just a joke between us as friends and we never thought it could become something this big. Now we are really famous in the tennis world. It's like we became professional supporters or something like that," says Alessandro."We have a good relationship with Jannik. Sometimes we chat on WhatsApp, sometimes we meet him during the tournaments, one time we played tennis with him."He appreciates us because we came out before he became the player he is now, but also we respect the tennis atmosphere - it is something in his style, he is a polite and really humble guy."It's really difficult. In 2024 we went to 10 different tournaments and all the Grand Slams. We are always trying to find a way to follow him. It's not easy, but we do our best."
