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Cable theft bid blamed for South West Trains chaos South West Trains chaos: Delayed passengers break out
(about 1 hour later)
Hundreds of passengers have been left stuck for more than four hours on several South West Trains services outside London. Passengers have told how they got out of trains stuck for hours on South West Trains services outside London and walked down the tracks.
The trains stopped near Woking after leaving Waterloo on Thursday evening. Services were halted near Woking in Surrey on Thursday evening.
Network Rail said an attempted cable theft was likely to be the reason for the problem. South West Trains blamed a major signal problem, but Network Rail said a cable theft attempt was the likely reason.
But it said further delays were caused when passengers on stationary trains went on the track, meaning power to the rails had to be turned off. Network Rail said further delays were caused when passengers on halted trains went on the track, meaning power to the rails had to be turned off.
One passenger, who asked only to be named as Keith, said he took the 18.33 South West Trains service from Clapham, which ground to a halt near Woking.One passenger, who asked only to be named as Keith, said he took the 18.33 South West Trains service from Clapham, which ground to a halt near Woking.
He described how after about two hours, he and some other passengers decided to get off the train.He described how after about two hours, he and some other passengers decided to get off the train.
"There were constant announcements every five minutes from the train driver saying he did not know when we would be moving."There were constant announcements every five minutes from the train driver saying he did not know when we would be moving.
"There was a lady on the train who was eight months pregnant and a man who was diabetic and needed his insulin."There was a lady on the train who was eight months pregnant and a man who was diabetic and needed his insulin.
"There was about five of us and we decided to get off. We prised the door open and jumped."There was about five of us and we decided to get off. We prised the door open and jumped.
"When we got to the gates the police tried to get our names, saying we were trespassing and that South West Trains take this behaviour very seriously."When we got to the gates the police tried to get our names, saying we were trespassing and that South West Trains take this behaviour very seriously.
"They didn't manage to get any of our names in the end. I got home at around 23.30.""They didn't manage to get any of our names in the end. I got home at around 23.30."
The heavily pregnant woman mentioned by Keith was Emma Firth from Farnham.The heavily pregnant woman mentioned by Keith was Emma Firth from Farnham.
"Me and another man talked to each other and said: 'This is our only chance,'" she said."Me and another man talked to each other and said: 'This is our only chance,'" she said.
"In my condition I wasn't going to sleep overnight on a train, I had no food or drink."In my condition I wasn't going to sleep overnight on a train, I had no food or drink.
"So the man gave me a piggy back off the train and helped me walk down the track."So the man gave me a piggy back off the train and helped me walk down the track.
"One guard, with a torch helped us walk across the track safely and was very polite but the police at the gates were very angry, saying we had trespassed. "One guard, with a torch, helped us walk across the track safely and was very polite but the police at the gates were very angry, saying we had trespassed.
'Miserable environment''Miserable environment'
"I got home around 23.00. I will not be using the train tomorrow, it will be a nightmare after this. I shall be working from home.""I got home around 23.00. I will not be using the train tomorrow, it will be a nightmare after this. I shall be working from home."
A passenger on another train, James Bilderbeck, 39, from Basingstoke, told BBC News that the service he was on was stuck for more than four hours.A passenger on another train, James Bilderbeck, 39, from Basingstoke, told BBC News that the service he was on was stuck for more than four hours.
"It's a really miserable environment, stuck going nowhere. It's a distressing situation for all.""It's a really miserable environment, stuck going nowhere. It's a distressing situation for all."
The company director described it as the worst delay he had ever known as a commuter.The company director described it as the worst delay he had ever known as a commuter.
Speaking at about 2330 BST, he said his train had finally got moving again and that he hoped to reach Basingstoke soon.Speaking at about 2330 BST, he said his train had finally got moving again and that he hoped to reach Basingstoke soon.
But he said that some passengers whose final destination was Weymouth could expect for their journeys to take up to seven hours.But he said that some passengers whose final destination was Weymouth could expect for their journeys to take up to seven hours.
A South West Trains spokeswoman said: "A major signalling problem in the Woking area is currently causing disruption to South West Trains services. A South West Trains spokeswoman said: "We are very sorry for the lengthy delays and inconvenience caused to many of our customers.
"As a result, there are lengthy delays of up to two hours on all services through Woking, which is causing severe disruption to mainline services in and out of Waterloo Station. "Services were disrupted for around four hours while Network Rail engineers worked hard to rectify the signal faults.
"We would like apologise to passengers for the significant disruption and the inconvenience this will have caused." "We were able to start running trains from around 11pm and we are pulling out all the stops to get passengers to their destination.
"Trains will be running out of London Waterloo up to just after 1am.
"As a result of this evening's disruption, we expect there may be some impact on train services tomorrow morning.
"Passengers are strongly advised to check National Rail Enquiries before they travel to check whether their journey is affected."
Were you stuck on one of the South West Trains travelling from London? If you are willing to be interviewed by the BBC about your journey, please fill in the form below.Were you stuck on one of the South West Trains travelling from London? If you are willing to be interviewed by the BBC about your journey, please fill in the form below.
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