Latest news with #traincancellations
The Independent
15 hours ago
- The Independent
Travel chaos at London Euston continues into second day after train derailment
Travel chaos has continued into its second day at London's Euston station, as passengers wake up to further cancellations and delays. National Rail has told customers there will be major disruption to routes, including to Birmingham and Manchester, on Friday after a train derailed in the Milton Keynes Central area on Thursday. At least 19 trains have been cancelled from Euston to Birmingham New Street until 3.30pm on Friday, with several more experiencing delays. Nine trains bound for Manchester Piccadilly have also already been cancelled throughout the day. National Rail said: 'A train derailed in the Milton Keynes Central area yesterday, closing some lines and continuing to disrupt services today. Trains between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central may be cancelled, delayed by up to 90 minutes or revised. 'Major disruption is expected to continue throughout the day.' London Northwestern Rail said the "low speed" derailment happened in Bletchley near Milton Keynes on Thursday. The railway operator said there were no passengers on the train and no injuries had been reported. Milton Keynes is on the West Coast mainline, connecting London to the Midlands and North of England and Scotland. London Northwestern Railway and Avanti West Coast operate the trains on this line. Routes affected include Avanti West Coast services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Manchester Piccadilly, Chester, Wrexham General, Crewe, Holyhead, Liverpool Lime Street, Preston, Blackpool North, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh. London Northwestern Railway services between London Euston and Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Birmingham New Street and Crewe are also affected. Avanti West Coast said people may instead use their ticket on the following services: London Northwestern Railway services between Rugby and Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street (via Nuneaton) in both directions. Rugby and Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street (via Birmingham New Street) in both directions Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent in both directions. If your train is cancelled, your ticket is valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before your booked train, or one of the two immediately after. London Northwestern Railway said its customers can instead use their tickets on the following routes:
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Daily Mail
Thousands of Eurostar passengers facing cancellations and severe delays following cable theft
Thousands of Eurostar passengers are facing travel chaos over train cancellations and delays for the second day in a row. Cancellations began last night with no services running between London St Pancras and Gare du Nord in Paris, after two people were struck by trains near Lille. And now, a cable theft on the high-speed line (LGV Nord) near Lille this morning, has meant that all Eurostar services between London and Brussels/Paris are experiencing disruption, leading to extended journey times. Eurostar has said: 'SNCF Réseau teams are working hard to restore the damaged infrastructure, with one track already reopened. This allows trains to run in both directions until full repairs are completed, expected by around 3pm/4pm CET. 'Customers have been contacted directly with updates and available options, and Eurostar is advising those due to travel today to postpone their journey with free exchanges and refunds available. 'We're very sorry for the continued disruption and the impact this is having on our customers. Our teams are working hard to support customers in the stations.' Cancellations began last night with no services running between London St Pancras and Gare du Nord in Paris Scores of passengers were stranded for more than seven hours with one furious customer accusing the service of 'abandoning passengers at midnight', while another said nearly a thousand people were stuck in Gare du Nord last night with no offers to stay in a hotel. Rebooked trains were again cancelled this morning with several other services delayed today due to 600metres of copper cables being stolen overnight near Lille. Around 15 workers, including cable layers, were dispatched to solve the issue, but repairs were expected to take a good part of the day, French railway operator SNCF said. Eurostar have said this made available services on the London–Brussels–Amsterdam route much longer thanks to having to take alternative routes. The Eurostar website showed that six trips between London and Paris - three in each direction - were cancelled on Wednesday, while other trains were still expected to run. Local police did not immediately provide more details on the cable theft. Some weary holidaymakers have spent hundreds trying to re-book trains while others had to sleep in the station, accusing the train line of 'horrific' customer service. Dominic Read said he had been delayed for seven hours with his new reservation for this morning cancelled, while Joe Mac wrote on X: '€300 isn't remotely close to what hotels were costing last night in the area once the trains were cancelled. 'If you were quick they started at €800 and very quickly went well over €1,000 once all the trains were cancelled and the other trains were heading back to Gare du Nord.' Lana Zovko wrote that she was told she could sleep in an 'empty train because the train station is closing'. Tonia Kats said: 'I've been trying to get to Paris since yesterday, have now brought three £375 tickets in an attempt to get there - two of the three trains were cancelled! 'The customer service and care is horrific! I am expecting refund and compensation plus my lost accommodation in Paris last night.' However, another passenger shared what appeared to be an image of a message from Eurostar that said they were not eligible for a refund even though their train was cancelled twice. 'What am I supposed to do now?' they asked. Eurostar have confirmed that all customers with cancelled services are entitled to a full refund. Rebecca del Tufo said: 'Utterly appalling service from Eurostar abandoning passengers at midnight in Paris with nowhere to stay. Shocking.' Naomi Sanger told KentOnline that she boarded the 4.31pm at Gare Du Nord yesterday but was left stranded at the station after the train did not depart. She claimed that the air con was not working and they were running out of food and drinks. SNCF said around 10 high-speed train trips between Lille and the French capital had also been cancelled. At the train station in Lille, 51-year-old Belgian holidaymaker Marie-Line Ponville was deeply disappointed. She and her daughter had been planning to board a ship in Marseille for a week-long cruise around the Mediterranean but look likely to miss the boat's departure. 'We can't even stay here as we packed our bags for somewhere sunny. I think we will just cancel and go home,' she said. Eurostar said yesterday: 'We are deeply sorry to confirm that there were two separate fatalities on the LGV Nord high-speed line between Lille and Paris yesterday. Our thoughts are with the families and friends of those who lost their lives. 'The line was closed for much of the afternoon and evening, resulting in significant disruption to Eurostar services, including cancellations on routes to and from Paris. 'Trains on the London–Brussels–Amsterdam route continued to run with delays. Disruption is continuing today due to the knock-on impact of displaced trains and crew. 'This morning, services have been further affected by an incident of cable theft on the same line near Lille. Trains are being re-routed via diversionary routes, which is leading to extended journey times. 'We're very sorry for the continued disruption and the impact this is having on our customers. Our teams are working closely with the French authorities and infrastructure teams to manage the situation and restore services safely. 'Customers have been contacted directly with updates and available options. 'Water is being distributed onboard delayed trains, and station teams remain on hand to offer assistance. Affected customers can change their travel plans free of charge or request a full refund.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
Eurostar chaos in London and Paris leaves Bits stranded in France after two people are hit by trains
Eurostar passengers are facing travel chaos over train cancellations after two people were hit on the tracks yesterday. Cancellations began last night with no services running between London St Pancras and Gare du Nord in Paris, leaving some passengers stranded for more than seven hours. One furious customer accused the service of 'abandoning passengers at midnight', while another said nearly a thousand people were stuck in Gare du Nord last night with no offers to stay in a hotel. Rebooked trains were again cancelled this morning with several other trains delayed today due to cable theft. Some weary holidaymakers have spent hundreds trying to re-book trains while others had to sleep in the station, accusing the train line of 'horrific' customer service. The travel chaos came as a result of two people being struck by trains near Lille. Dominic Read said he had been delayed for seven hours with his new reservation for this morning cancelled, while Joe Mac wrote on X: '€300 isn't remotely close to what hotels were costing last night in the area once the trains were cancelled. 'If you were quick they started at €800 and very quickly went well over €1,000 once all the trains were cancelled and the other trains were heading back to Gare du Nord.' Tonia Kats said: 'I've been trying to get to Paris since yesterday, have now brought three £375 tickets in an attempt to get there - two of the three trains were cancelled! 'The customer service and care is horrific! I am expecting refund and compensation plus my lost accommodation in Paris last night.' However, another passenger shared an image of a notification from Eurostar that said they were not eligible for a refund even though their train was cancelled twice. 'What am I supposed to do now?' they asked. Rebecca del Tufo said: 'Utterly appalling service from Eurostar abandoning passengers at midnight in Paris with nowhere to stay. Shocking.' Naomi Sanger told KentOnline that she boarded the 4.31pm at Gare Du Nord yesterday butwas left stranded at the station after the train did not depart. She added that the air con was not working and they were running out of food and drinks. Eurostar have been contacted for comment but wrote on X: 'You can expect delays, and some trains will be cancelled because some trainsets never made it to their destination to ensure a departure the next day.
Daily Mail
20-06-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Why do trains get cancelled when there's a heatwave? Experts reveal why extreme heat makes Britain's public transport network grind to a halt
As temperatures across the UK skyrocket, Britain's public transport network has ground to a halt. Rail routes across England, Wales and Scotland are experiencing delays and cancellations, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. Frustrated travellers have flocked to X to discuss the issues. 'That didn't take long… "Severe weather" has delayed nearly all departures from waterloo,' one user wrote, alongside a photo of the crowds. British astronaut Tim Peake added: 'The mind boggles (as the train crawls its way to London) that we can build a space station that, for nearly 27 years, has coped with temperature fluctuations of +121C in the sun to -157C in the shade, 16 times a day, yet the signalling system on SW Trains flops at +30C.' And one vented: 'Other countries have hotter weather and I'm sure their train service doesn't collapse like these lot.' So, why do trains get cancelled when there's a heatwave? Network Rail has revealed how abnormally high temperatures can cause steel rails across the network to buckle. With temperatures in parts of the UK set to hit 32°C this weekend, we could see parts of the rails start to buckle Britain's railway tracks cover more than 20,000 miles and are made from steel. Most of the network can operate when track temperatures hit up to 46°C, according to Network Rail. This is the equivalent to an air temperature of around 30°C. However, with temperatures in parts of the UK set to hit 32°C this weekend, we could see parts of the rails start to buckle. 'When Britain enjoys a summer heatwave, rails in direct sunshine can be as much as 20°C hotter than air temperature,' Network Rail explained. 'Because rails are made from steel, they expand as they get hotter, and can start to curve. This is known as "buckling".' Network Rail uses remote monitoring systems to keep an eye on its tracks. When the systems detect that a section of track might be expanding too much and heading towards a buckle, Network Rail introduces local speed restrictions. British astronaut Tim Peake added: 'The mind boggles (as the train crawls its way to London ) that we can build a space station that, for nearly 27 years, has coped with temperature fluctuations of +121C in the sun to -157C in the shade, 16 times a day, yet the signalling system on SW Trains flops at +30C' Overhead wires can also overheat Another issue for railway networks amid the heatwave is the risk of overhead wires overheating. Overhead wires give power to trains by conducting electricity through the pantograph – an apparatus mounted on the roof of the train. During heatwaves, the overhead wires can expand and sag, causing the train's pantograph to become entangled in the wires and requiring repairs. 'Slower trains cause lower forces on the track – this reduces the chance of buckling,' it explained. Unfortunately, even with prevention measures in place, rails can buckle. When this happens, the network is forced to close the line and carry out repairs before trains can run again. 'This can disrupt journeys because we often have to wait until the rail temperature has dropped before we can carry out these essential repairs,' it added. Another issue for railway networks amid the heatwave is the risk of overhead wires overheating. Overhead wires give power to trains by conducting electricity through the pantograph – an apparatus mounted on the roof of the train. During heatwaves, the overhead wires can expand and sag, causing the train's pantograph to become entangled in the wires and requiring repairs. Thankfully, much of the ageing overhead wires have been replaced with an auto-tensioned system, similar to those used European countries with more regular heatwaves, such as Italy. 'Modern overhead lines, such as those in place on the lines between Norwich, Ipswich, Colchester, Clacton, Harwich, Braintree, Cambridge and London Liverpool Street, and those installed on the Southend Victoria line, do not sag in high temperatures, avoiding the need for precautionary speed restrictions,' Greater Anglia explained. One of the key ways that networks prevent tracks from overheating is by painting them white. Dr John Easton, an executive panel member of the IET's Railway Technical Network, explained: 'This can reduce the track temperature by 5°C and reduces signalling failures which lead to significant disruption. 'This technique is also used in countries where high temperatures are more commonplace, such as Italy, where engineers often paint the inside faces of the rails white to reflect the sunlight and lower the risk of buckling.' Most tracks across the UK are made of long pieces of rail that are stretched and welded together. 'There is much less chance of buckling in very high temperatures because there is reduced compression,' Network Rail added. 'When a track is made up from short rails bolted together, we leave small gaps between each one so that expansion doesn't cause a problem.' Meanwhile, in some part of Britain's rail network, tracks are laid on reinforced concrete slabs, rather than on sleepers and ballast - a technique often used to prevent buckling in hotter countries. While this also helps to prevent damage, it costs about four times as much to install as standard ballasted track. Worryingly, climate change could increase the frequency and severity of extreme heatwaves, and cause even more chaos for railway networks. 'We work closely with many governmental and specialist organisations to prepare our railway for the climate changes projected over the next few years, decades and beyond,' Network Rail said. WHY DO STORMS AND HOT WEATHER CAUSE DISRUPTION TO TRAINS AND PLANES? HOW HOT WEATHER AFFECTS AIRCRAFT Aircraft components begin to overheat and become damaged in extreme temperatures, with seals softening or melting. If temperatures exceed 47°C (116°F), planes are grounded as some aircraft manufacturers can't guarantee the necessary engine propulsion. HOW STORMS AND HOT WEATHER AFFECT FLYING Aeroplanes fly because the speed of the aircraft causes ambient air to travel over the wings creating lift. When the flow of air is disrupted, the wing loses, or gains, lift. Hot air is less dense than cold air, which means aircraft require more engine power to generate the same thrust and lift as they would in cooler climes. The warmer it gets, the less density there is in the air, which in turn results in less upwind for the wings. Cumulonimus clouds, which occur during thunderstorms, can also be problematic as they are associated with heavy and sudden down pours of rain. These clouds are often caused by periods of very hot weather. Thunderstorms are a challenge for a pilot because there are several dangers like wind shear, turbulence, rain, icing and lightning. HOW HEAT AFFECTS TRAINS Thousands of miles of steel tracks cross the UK, much of which is exposed to sunlight. Tracks in direct sunshine can be as much as 20°C (36°F) hotter than the ambient air temperature according to Network Rail, which manages Britain's railway infrastructure. Heatwaves can cause points failures and signal disturbances, while in some places the tracks have buckled under the heat. As temperature rises, the steel rail absorbs heat and expands, causing it to curve, or buckle. The forces the temperature change provokes pushes and pulls the track out of shape. Buckled tracks need to be repaired before trains can run again, leading to disruption. Overhead lines can also expand and sag in extreme heat, bringing a risk of passing trains pulling them down.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The Southeastern trains cancelled this last weekend of May
Several Southeastern trains will be cancelled, diverted, or replaced by buses this last weekend of May. The changes are due to engineering work and will affect trains on Saturday and Sunday (May 31 to June 1). We have outlined and simplified the details so you can plan your journey this weekend. Saturday and Sunday (May 31 to June 1): Engineering work is taking place in the London Victoria area, closing all lines used by Southeastern services. Sole Street Line: Trains between London Victoria and Ramsgate or Dover Priory via Chatham will run from London Cannon Street instead. These trains will run non-stop between London Bridge and St Mary Cray (Saturday only) or between London Bridge and Rochester / Bromley South (Sunday). Stopping services between London Victoria and Gillingham will not run on Saturday. Maidstone East Line: Trains between London Victoria and Ashford International via Maidstone East will run from: London Charing Cross on Saturday, running non-stop between London Bridge and St Mary Cray. London Cannon Street on Sunday, also running non-stop between London Bridge and St Mary Cray. Bromley South Line: Trains between London Victoria and Orpington will run from London Blackfriars, calling additionally at Elephant & Castle on both days. Bexleyheath Line: Trains between London Victoria and Gravesend or Dartford via Bexleyheath will not run. Additional services will run between London Charing Cross and Dartford via Bexleyheath on Saturday. Additional Services: Trains will run between London Blackfriars and Orpington via Denmark Hill, Lewisham, and Bromley South. Brixton Station: Closed all weekend. Use London Underground for travel to/from Brixton.
