Media centre

Wednesday 3 Jan 2018

Great Northern passengers urged to check before they travel

Region & Route:

Eastern: Anglia

| Eastern

Passengers using Great Northern rail services are urged to check before they travel today (Wednesday 3 January) following damage to the overhead power lines at Meldreth near Cambridge.

Large conifers fell onto the overhead electric wires in the early hours of the morning during high winds, blocking all lines between Cambridge and Royston.

Several trees need to be cut back and the overhead wires need to be repaired before the line can reopen. Network Rail engineers have started to remove the trees after the work was initially stalled by high winds.

A rail replacement bus service is in place between Cambridge and Royston. Engineers hope to finish their work in time to reopen the line for the rush hour but disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day because trains and drivers are so badly out of place. 

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Several trees have fallen onto the overhead wires at Meldreth causing significant damage. We are currently working to remove the trees and replace the overhead wires as quickly as possible. I urge passengers to check before they travel and thank them for their patience while we clear the line.”

A spokesperson for Great Northern said: "Storm Eleanor has caused our passengers a lot of problems today. High winds and tall trees have severed one of our major arteries and we expect major delays for the rest of the day. We urge anyone delayed by 15 minutes or more to claim compensation through the DelayRepay section of our website and those with a Key smartcard can opt to have claims generated automatically."

Passengers are asked to check the latest travel advice and claim compensation at www.greatnorthernraiway.com