Wednesday 20 Jul 2022
Heatwave damage means no direct trains between London and Scotland
- Region & Route:
- North West & Central
West Coast main line passengers are being urged to check National Rail Enquiries before they set off on their journey with no direct trains between London and Scotland.
People are being advised that journeys will take much longer than normal, could involve rail replacement buses and that fewer trains will be running today (Wednesday 20 July) as work continues to repair the heatwave damaged railway.
Anyone planning to travel on the West Coast main line should check before they travel at www.nationalrail.co.uk.
It’s as Network Rail engineers work tirelessly to repair multiple sections of 25,000-volt overhead electric cables which power trains on the major rail route.
Network Rail teams have been working throughout the night trying to restore the power lines damaged:
- Between Lancaster and Carnforth
- At Harrow in North London
- At Birmingham New Street
- Near Wolverhampton
The complex repair work will continue today in all locations meaning fewer trains will be running in and out of London Euston, and rail replacement buses will be in operation between Preston and Carlisle.
Avanti West Coast says its train services on other routes out of London Euston may also be cancelled.
James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, said: “We’re sorry to passengers impacted by the damaged caused to our overhead electric lines during the record-breaking heat. Specialist teams worked all night but have been unable to fix the cables in time for the start of service this morning. We’re doing everything we can to get things back up and running. In the meantime, please check National Rail Enquiries before you set off on your journey as delays will continue today.”
Repair work is continuing right across the country’s rail network after the extreme heat.
People are advised that journeys will take longer, and trains could be busier while services return to normal after the unprecedented temperatures put a huge strain on the railway.
For more information on how Network Rail repairs its overhead line equipment visit: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/overhead-line-equipment-failures/
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - North West & Central Region
07740 782954
NWCmediarelations@networkrail.co.uk
About Network Rail
We own, operate and develop Britain's railway infrastructure; that's 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges, tunnels and viaducts and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations. We run 20 of the UK's largest stations while all the others, over 2,500, are run by the country's train operating companies.
Usually, there are almost five million journeys made in the UK and over 600 freight trains run on the network. People depend on Britain's railway for their daily commute, to visit friends and loved ones and to get them home safe every day. Our role is to deliver a safe and reliable railway, so we carefully manage and deliver thousands of projects every year that form part of the multi-billion pound Railway Upgrade Plan, to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years.
Follow us on Twitter: @networkrail
Visit our online newsroom: www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk