National Rail Disruptions: All Lines Impacted And What We Know So Far

Major rail disruption has taken place following an electrical failure in the Manchester Rail Operating Centre communications centre.

National Rail said on its site that the issues began just before 2pm on 6 August and are expected to last “until the end of the day” in the Greater Manchester/north-west of England area.

The BBC reports we don’t yet know what caused the issue, how severe it may be, or how long it will last.

Here’s which train lines may be affected, and what each have said, as of the time of writing:

In a statement, it warned of “major disruption for the rest of the day due to power issues impacting signalling”.

The service added: “Currently no trains can run from Manchester Piccadilly through to Manchester Victoria and Bolton, impacting services right across the North West network.

“Some trains are running south and east of the city towards Stockport, but are also subject to delays.

“As a result, cancellations are expected on rail routes across Greater Manchester until the end of today (Thursday 6 August).”

If you’re travelling by train today, check with National Rail or your train line first.

Per National Rail, lines affected by the signal issue include:

• Avanti West Coast,
• CrossCountry,
• East Midlands Railway,
• London Northwestern Railway,
• Northern,
• TransPennine Express,
• Transport for Wales.

This is what each line has said as of the time of writing. (Advice is subject to change, so check in regularly before travelling.)

TransPennine Express’s site reads: “All trains will be stopped due to a failure of the communication systems on the network”, adding there is “major disruption and no trains or replacement buses are operating, and we strongly advise you not to travel”.

Transport for Wales said “train services between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street are also disrupted” and trains “will not be able to run until the electrical supply has been restored”.

It added: “We have organised buses to run between Liverpool Lime Street and Chester to help you complete your journey, at no extra cost. These will arrive at 15:30 at Chester provided by Patts Coaches and arrive at Liverpool Lime Street at approximately 15:30 provided by Northwich Travel.” These arrangements will last until 6pm.

Northern’s site says there are “major disruptions” across various routes, adding, “due to failure of the electricity supply at Manchester Piccadilly all lines are blocked”. It said this is expected to last until the end of the day.

Esst Midlands’ site said: “There is a failure of the electricity supply around the Manchester Piccadilly area. This is currently disrupting our trains on the Liverpool Lime Street/Nottingham/Norwich routes.” The company added: “Our services are unable to run between Sheffield and Liverpool Lime Street until the end of the day.”

London Northwestern Railway’s site lists “major problems” from services via London Euston, from Euston to Crewe, from Crewe to Stafford, and services via Birmingham New Street.

And Avanti West Coast’s site reads: “This Friday, we’re seeing some short-notice cancellations on our network, so please check your journey before you travel. We’re really sorry if this affects you and your journey, but we’re working hard to make sure we can minimise these cancellations.” Its site has a section to help you find out your live train status.