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| London Victoria travel chaos due to signal problems | London Victoria travel chaos due to signal problems |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Commuters have been advised to avoid London Victoria railway station after a signal failure caused major disruption across south London. | Commuters have been advised to avoid London Victoria railway station after a signal failure caused major disruption across south London. |
| Gatwick Express services are suspended while Southern and Thameslink trains are badly affected, National Rail said. | Gatwick Express services are suspended while Southern and Thameslink trains are badly affected, National Rail said. |
| There has been a total loss of signalling power on three separate supplies in the Streatham Common area, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) said. | There has been a total loss of signalling power on three separate supplies in the Streatham Common area, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) said. |
| Disruption is expected until the end of the day, National Rail added. | Disruption is expected until the end of the day, National Rail added. |
| Victoria is the second busiest station in Great Britain with 75.8 million passenger entries and exits, according to Network Rail figures in 2016-17. | Victoria is the second busiest station in Great Britain with 75.8 million passenger entries and exits, according to Network Rail figures in 2016-17. |
| Both Southern and Thameslink have advised passengers not to travel to the capital. | Both Southern and Thameslink have advised passengers not to travel to the capital. |
| A spokesman from GTR, which operates Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express, said: "In the meantime passengers are urged not to travel from the south on our remaining services, which will be heavily overcrowded." | A spokesman from GTR, which operates Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express, said: "In the meantime passengers are urged not to travel from the south on our remaining services, which will be heavily overcrowded." |
| Gatwick Airport said flight passengers should leave extra time for their journeys. | Gatwick Airport said flight passengers should leave extra time for their journeys. |
| National Rail first issued a warning about a fault with the signalling system at about 23:30 BST on Wednesday. | National Rail first issued a warning about a fault with the signalling system at about 23:30 BST on Wednesday. |
| Traveller Sophie Cook was forced to stay overnight with a friend in Croydon as cancellations meant she could not make it home to Lancing, West Sussex. | Traveller Sophie Cook was forced to stay overnight with a friend in Croydon as cancellations meant she could not make it home to Lancing, West Sussex. |
| She said train staff offered "no info" and that when she continued her journey on Thursday the trains were "dangerously overcrowded". | She said train staff offered "no info" and that when she continued her journey on Thursday the trains were "dangerously overcrowded". |
| Engineers had not fixed the problem by Thursday morning so all trains were blocked through Streatham Common station causing disruption, cancellations and delays until the end of the day's services. | Engineers had not fixed the problem by Thursday morning so all trains were blocked through Streatham Common station causing disruption, cancellations and delays until the end of the day's services. |
| Trains were packed as commuters with tickets to Victoria were allowed on board other services. | Trains were packed as commuters with tickets to Victoria were allowed on board other services. |
| Elaine Hindal said her train from Harpenden to London Bridge was a "nightmare" while Jessica Edwards said stations were "mobbed". | Elaine Hindal said her train from Harpenden to London Bridge was a "nightmare" while Jessica Edwards said stations were "mobbed". |
| Ms Edwards, 34, said she paid hundreds of pounds extra a year to travel on the Gatwick Express from Hassocks to Victoria. | Ms Edwards, 34, said she paid hundreds of pounds extra a year to travel on the Gatwick Express from Hassocks to Victoria. |
| She said Thursday's problems meant she was an hour late to work, adding: "I have had to get off at London Bridge and get a bus to Hackney. It's taking ages. | She said Thursday's problems meant she was an hour late to work, adding: "I have had to get off at London Bridge and get a bus to Hackney. It's taking ages. |
| "All the stations are mobbed, so it's not even worth trying to get the Overground or Tube." | "All the stations are mobbed, so it's not even worth trying to get the Overground or Tube." |
| Michael Scriven said he tried unsuccessfully to board eight trains to London Bridge at East Croydon station and was "the most sardined I've ever been" when he eventually managed to get on one. | |
| The 23-year-old IT analyst said the platform became an "absolute mess" after passengers were forced to disembark from trains travelling to Victoria. | |
| You may also be interested in: | You may also be interested in: |
| People stranded at railway stations had to use buses to reach the Tube network, with some complaining that they had to pay for bus travel. | People stranded at railway stations had to use buses to reach the Tube network, with some complaining that they had to pay for bus travel. |
| Amelia Howard wrote on social media: "@SouthernRailUK can you tell buses to accept train tickets as the whole of Carshalton station is closed. | Amelia Howard wrote on social media: "@SouthernRailUK can you tell buses to accept train tickets as the whole of Carshalton station is closed. |
| "Just been told by bus (157) driver (who was very rude) I can't use it and I've paid £2k for my train ticket! Absolutely ridiculous." | "Just been told by bus (157) driver (who was very rude) I can't use it and I've paid £2k for my train ticket! Absolutely ridiculous." |
| A National Rail spokesman said: "We have had engineers working on site overnight doing all they can to fix the problem. | A National Rail spokesman said: "We have had engineers working on site overnight doing all they can to fix the problem. |
| "However, we anticipate that the signalling will not be up and running this morning. | "However, we anticipate that the signalling will not be up and running this morning. |
| "We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the fault and passengers are being advised not to travel with Thameslink, Southern or Gatwick Express from the south into London this morning." | "We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the fault and passengers are being advised not to travel with Thameslink, Southern or Gatwick Express from the south into London this morning." |
| The issues have also affected Thameslink services between Luton and Wimbledon, which have been suspended until the end of the day. | The issues have also affected Thameslink services between Luton and Wimbledon, which have been suspended until the end of the day. |
| The disruptions come as GTR is set to launch a special compensation scheme for people severely affected by a chaotic timetable change in May. | The disruptions come as GTR is set to launch a special compensation scheme for people severely affected by a chaotic timetable change in May. |
| Alternative travel | Alternative travel |
| Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express tickets are valid for travel on the following services, via any reasonable route, including: | Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express tickets are valid for travel on the following services, via any reasonable route, including: |
| Source: National Rail | Source: National Rail |
| Have you been affected by the disruption to train services today? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. | Have you been affected by the disruption to train services today? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. |
| You can also contact us in the following ways: | You can also contact us in the following ways: |
| Or please use the form below: | Or please use the form below: |