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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
|---|---|
| Major delays on London and Peterborough East Coast line | Major delays on London and Peterborough East Coast line |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thousands of passengers on one of the UK's key rail routes are being advised not to travel after overhead power lines caused major delays. | Thousands of passengers on one of the UK's key rail routes are being advised not to travel after overhead power lines caused major delays. |
| No trains were able to run on the east coast mainline between London and Peterborough during rush hour. | No trains were able to run on the east coast mainline between London and Peterborough during rush hour. |
| The problem was caused by a power line failure in St Neots in Cambridgeshire. | The problem was caused by a power line failure in St Neots in Cambridgeshire. |
| Two of the four lines have been reopened, but Network Rail has advised people heading to or from stations south of Peterborough not to travel. | Two of the four lines have been reopened, but Network Rail has advised people heading to or from stations south of Peterborough not to travel. |
| A Network Rail spokesman said more than 1 km (0.62 miles) of overhead line equipment was damaged at St Neots. | A Network Rail spokesman said more than 1 km (0.62 miles) of overhead line equipment was damaged at St Neots. |
| He added: "Two of the four lines have opened to diesel traffic, allowing a limited service to run. | He added: "Two of the four lines have opened to diesel traffic, allowing a limited service to run. |
| "From around 2pm we will be able to 'coast' East Coast electric trains under the damaged area which will allow more services to run where rolling stock is available." | "From around 2pm we will be able to 'coast' East Coast electric trains under the damaged area which will allow more services to run where rolling stock is available." |
| "East Coast services are stopping additionally at Huntingdon and Peterborough to allow First Capital Connect passengers to make connections." | "East Coast services are stopping additionally at Huntingdon and Peterborough to allow First Capital Connect passengers to make connections." |
| Passengers stranded | Passengers stranded |
| Network Rail said it will take a couple of days to repair the line but it expects to have a full service running by 06:00 GMT on Thursday. | |
| The problems began on Tuesday night when about 200 people were stranded at King's Cross after the last train to Leeds was cancelled. | The problems began on Tuesday night when about 200 people were stranded at King's Cross after the last train to Leeds was cancelled. |
| One passenger said they were put on a coach to Peterborough at 03:40 but it was involved in a minor accident in Huntingdon. | |
| The East Coast mainline is the main link between London and Edinburgh and also serves major cities in Yorkshire. | The East Coast mainline is the main link between London and Edinburgh and also serves major cities in Yorkshire. |
| Network Rail said all four lines between Biggleswade and Peterborough had been blocked and advised people to defer journeys until Thursday, adding that Wednesday's tickets would be accepted. | Network Rail said all four lines between Biggleswade and Peterborough had been blocked and advised people to defer journeys until Thursday, adding that Wednesday's tickets would be accepted. |
| First Capital Connect said replacement buses were running between Peterborough and Biggleswade but warned that journey times could be extended by an hour. | First Capital Connect said replacement buses were running between Peterborough and Biggleswade but warned that journey times could be extended by an hour. |
| It is thought many of the passengers stranded overnight had been to the Arsenal's Champions League game against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in north London. | It is thought many of the passengers stranded overnight had been to the Arsenal's Champions League game against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium in north London. |
| Jonathan Selwyn said his family got on the 23:30 GMT train at King's Cross and were kept on for about four hours with no information, when they were put on a coach to Peterborough. | Jonathan Selwyn said his family got on the 23:30 GMT train at King's Cross and were kept on for about four hours with no information, when they were put on a coach to Peterborough. |
| "We were heading up the motorway and found ourselves careering through the central reservation," he said. | "We were heading up the motorway and found ourselves careering through the central reservation," he said. |
| "I'm here with my 12-year-old son, my 15-year-old son, my wife and 80-year-old mother. It's bit of a nightmare." | "I'm here with my 12-year-old son, my 15-year-old son, my wife and 80-year-old mother. It's bit of a nightmare." |
| Mike Manning had been to the Millwall v Peterborough football match and was also kept on the 23:30 train for several hours before getting on the coach which crashed. | Mike Manning had been to the Millwall v Peterborough football match and was also kept on the 23:30 train for several hours before getting on the coach which crashed. |
| 'Exceptional situation' | 'Exceptional situation' |
| He said: "The coach started rattling, I thought it was going to tilt over but fortunately everyone is safe." | He said: "The coach started rattling, I thought it was going to tilt over but fortunately everyone is safe." |
| Everyone on the coach got off at about 05:00 GMT and were kept in a lay-by until another replacement bus came to take them to Peterborough. | Everyone on the coach got off at about 05:00 GMT and were kept in a lay-by until another replacement bus came to take them to Peterborough. |
| Earlier a spokeswoman from East Coast Trains said it was "very sorry" for what happened to the stranded passengers. | Earlier a spokeswoman from East Coast Trains said it was "very sorry" for what happened to the stranded passengers. |
| "It was an exceptional situation at King's Cross," she said. | "It was an exceptional situation at King's Cross," she said. |
| "We kept passengers on the train while we were waiting for updates from Network Rail. | "We kept passengers on the train while we were waiting for updates from Network Rail. |
| "It is unacceptable if they had no information and we are looking into what happened. | "It is unacceptable if they had no information and we are looking into what happened. |
| "We can understand it was awful for the passengers and it was not only annoying but hugely inconvenient." | "We can understand it was awful for the passengers and it was not only annoying but hugely inconvenient." |