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Overhead cables damage causes widespread train delays West Coast Main Line: Network Rail hopes for rush-hour reopening
(about 2 hours later)
Rail passengers face disruption to their journeys after overhead wires on the West Coast Main Line near Milton Keynes were damaged. The West Coast Main Line, shut between Milton Keynes and Northampton after overhead wires were damaged overnight, could reopen for the rush hour.
Virgin Trains services across England and into Scotland are being affected with delays of up to 30 minutes, according to the company. This should enable a near-full service to operate, Network Rail said.
London Midland say some journey times could be extended by up to two hours. The slow line at Hanslope Junction near Wolverton in Buckinghamshire where overhead lines came down will open for diesel trains only, a spokesman said.
Repairs will be carried out on Saturday night as weekend services can run with the lines available, he said.
"Waiting until Saturday night means we can take advantage of the the reduced Sunday service level to do the work without disruption," he said.
Virgin Trains services across England and into Scotland are affected with delays of up to 30 minutes, according to the company.
London Midland says some journey times remain extended by up to two hours.
A full list of affected routes and replacement bus services can be found on the National Rail Enquiries website.A full list of affected routes and replacement bus services can be found on the National Rail Enquiries website.
The problems are disrupting trains between London and the Midlands and the direct Rugby to Milton Keynes route.The problems are disrupting trains between London and the Midlands and the direct Rugby to Milton Keynes route.
Virgin Trains began running a reduced service between Rugby and Euston shortly after 10:30 GMT. Replacement buses are running between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central and from there to Luton Airport Parkway, to connect with East Midlands and First Capital Connect services to and from London St Pancras International.
Replacement buses continue to run between between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central, and from there to Luton Airport Parkway to connect with East Midlands and First Capital Connect services to and from London St Pancras International.
Tickets honouredTickets honoured
Virgin said passengers can use their tickets on other operators services along certain routes.Virgin said passengers can use their tickets on other operators services along certain routes.
London Midland say services on the line between Northampton and Milton Keynes will be delayed all day, but trains north of Northampton were still running, but subject to delays and cancellations.London Midland say services on the line between Northampton and Milton Keynes will be delayed all day, but trains north of Northampton were still running, but subject to delays and cancellations.
The company is also running a two-trains-an-hour shuttle service between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston in each direction.The company is also running a two-trains-an-hour shuttle service between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston in each direction.
A bus service is in operation between Rugby, Northampton and Milton Keynes Central.A bus service is in operation between Rugby, Northampton and Milton Keynes Central.
Buses will also take passengers between Milton Keynes Central and Luton Airport Parkway to connect with East Midlands and First Capital Connect services.Buses will also take passengers between Milton Keynes Central and Luton Airport Parkway to connect with East Midlands and First Capital Connect services.
Buses are now running between Northampton and Wellingborough to connect to East Midland Trains services going north to Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield and south to St Pancras station in London. Buses are also running between Northampton and Wellingborough to connect to East Midland Trains services going north to Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield and south to St Pancras station in London.
London Midland said their tickets will be honoured by passengers going on to use Chiltern Railways, Cross Country, East Midlands Trains (between Sheffield, Wellingborough and London St Pancras International), First Capital Connect, First Great Western and Southern.London Midland said their tickets will be honoured by passengers going on to use Chiltern Railways, Cross Country, East Midlands Trains (between Sheffield, Wellingborough and London St Pancras International), First Capital Connect, First Great Western and Southern.
Passengers are being advised that journey times are taking up to two hours longer. Network Rail said a train pantograph, which connects a train with the overhead lines, became tangled with the wires at a junction and the cables were damaged.
Unions blame cutsUnions blame cuts
Network Rail said a train pantograph had become entangled with overhead lines at the junction and the cables were damaged.
"At around 05:00 GMT on Friday the overhead wires on the West Coast Main Line, just north of Milton Keynes (at Hanslope Junction), suffered damage blocking all four lines," a spokesman said."At around 05:00 GMT on Friday the overhead wires on the West Coast Main Line, just north of Milton Keynes (at Hanslope Junction), suffered damage blocking all four lines," a spokesman said.
"An empty train, moving into position for the morning peak is currently entangled in wires that have come down."An empty train, moving into position for the morning peak is currently entangled in wires that have come down.
"Network Rail engineers are currently on site and hope to restore two of the four lines by lunchtime with the aim of restoring all lines tomorrow following overnight work."Network Rail engineers are currently on site and hope to restore two of the four lines by lunchtime with the aim of restoring all lines tomorrow following overnight work.
"All lines remain blocked," the spokesman said."All lines remain blocked," the spokesman said.
The RMT and TSSA unions questioned the adequacy of staffing levels following this incident and two more in the past three weeks when lines came down at Radlett in Hertfordshire and St Neots in Cambridgeshire.. The RMT and TSSA unions questioned the adequacy of staffing levels following the incident and two more in the past three weeks when lines came down at Radlett in Hertfordshire and St Neots in Cambridgeshire.
RMT leader Bob Crow called for "cuts to staffing and to overhead line capacity to be reversed".RMT leader Bob Crow called for "cuts to staffing and to overhead line capacity to be reversed".
TSSA leader Manuel Cortes said: "This is the third week running that we have had major disruption on either the East or West Coast main lines because of problems with overhead power lines. TSSA leader Manuel Cortes, said: "This is the third week running that we have had major disruption on either the East or West Coast main lines because of problems with overhead power lines.
"We have to ask ourselves if Network Rail has cut back too far on maintenance spending in the past five years, and whether rail regulators and ministers are right to press it for further cutbacks of up to 19% over the next five years."We have to ask ourselves if Network Rail has cut back too far on maintenance spending in the past five years, and whether rail regulators and ministers are right to press it for further cutbacks of up to 19% over the next five years.
"These cuts are leading to a second-class railway for passengers who already pay the highest fares in Europe. They should be stopped immediately.""These cuts are leading to a second-class railway for passengers who already pay the highest fares in Europe. They should be stopped immediately."