As cold weather ensures its strong hold on the UK and as the Christmas spirit fills the streets, the last thing we want are train delays. Unfortunately, in the evening of 7 November, thousands of people got themselves stuck on trains after ‘damage to overhead electric cables’ were noticed.
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This damage was spotted in the ‘Ladbroke Grove area of west London’ and impacted the Elizabeth Line, the Heathrow Express and Great Western Railway. Images of people stuck in the dark on trains for hours went viral.
How long are these delays expected to last?
Major delays Friday morning
Unfortunately for train users, the delays are reported to continue on Friday as well. BBC News reports that:
commuters were warned their journeys may be delayed by up to 90 minutes
Moreover, a Network Rail spokesman stated that repairs are underway and have been carried out through the night. They hope to be able to provide a full functioning railway by the weekend but that is not guaranteed.
The knock-on effects from last night mean operators will not be able to run a full service from Paddington today and passengers should check before they travel.
What happened on Thursday evening
Passengers stuck on trains blocked on tracks on the evening of 7 December shared their horrible experience. Sky News relayed those testimonies, saying that people were stuck on trains for ‘up to 4 hours with little to no information.’
People with children and commuters report that they ‘couldn’t even go to the bathroom’. Moreover, the trains got colder and darker as the back up batteries ran out and eventually people were evacuated ‘along the train tracks’.
Speaking to the BBC, Mikey Worrall, a commuter, explained his experience. According to him the ‘train lurched to a stop’ and that’s when his long wait started. He added:
We saw a couple of workers come past, and they were trying to keep everyone calm. Suddenly, we saw a stream of people coming down the track, and at that point, it was clear that we would be getting off.
It was really eerie walking down the railway line in amongst this big crowd of people. It felt like a wartime thing.
Hopefully, those scenes will not be repeated today.
Read more:
⋙ Travel warning to those planning a trip this winter: Don’t make this expensive mistake
⋙ This former CIA agent gives you tips on how to travel safely
Sources:
BBC: Passengers stuck for hours on Elizabeth line after cables damaged
SkyNews Live
