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Thousands face further rail chaos Thousands face further rail chaos
(30 minutes later)
Rail passengers are facing long delays after a power failure halted all trains in to and out of London Euston. Rail passengers are facing long delays after power lines came down halting all trains in to and out of London Euston.
London Midland and Virgin services to and from Euston were suspended after cables came down in north-west London as a train was passing through. London Midland and Virgin services to and from Euston were suspended after cables failed in north-west London as a train was passing through.
Travel to Birmingham and north-west England is affected, as are regular commuter lines in and out of London.Travel to Birmingham and north-west England is affected, as are regular commuter lines in and out of London.
Network Rail said lines had now reopened. Virgin Trains is expected to resume services from 1100 GMT. Network Rail said lines had now reopened and Virgin Trains are believed to be running a reduced service.
A reduced service of two trains per hour from Euston to Birmingham and Manchester and one an hour to Chester, Liverpool and Glasgow is expected to operate. It is expected that two trains per hour are to start running from Euston to Birmingham and Manchester and one an hour to Chester, Liverpool and Glasgow.
London Midland has already begun operating its services. By mid-afternoon more frequent services should be running.
London Midland has already begun operating a reduced service.
MAP OF AFFECTED ROUTES National Rail map of route disruption [177KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader hereMAP OF AFFECTED ROUTES National Rail map of route disruption [177KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here
A Network Rail spokesman said a string of problems on the West Coast Main Line in recent days appeared to be unrelated and "unfortunate coincidences", but added that they were being investigated. A Network Rail spokesman said a string of problems on the West Coast Main Line in recent days appeared to be unrelated and due to "unfortunate coincidences", but added they were being investigated.
The affected stretch of line is between North Wembley and Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, following the incident at Kenton on Tuesday evening. The latest affected stretch of line was between North Wembley and Kings Langley, Hertfordshire, following the incident at Kenton on Tuesday evening.
Passengers have been urged to delay their journeys until later in the day where possible.Passengers have been urged to delay their journeys until later in the day where possible.
BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said Virgin Trains had described the situation as a mess. BBC transport correspondent Tom Symonds said Virgin Trains had described the situation as a "mess".
The train firm told him problems on the west coast line meant 70% of trains had been running late since the start of the new year.The train firm told him problems on the west coast line meant 70% of trains had been running late since the start of the new year.
Virgin Trains services are stopping furthest south at Milton Keynes with bus replacements laid on to get people into London, Network Rail said.
London Midland services are stopping between Northampton and Hemel Hempstead.
DAYS OF DELAYS Wednesday - cable failure near WembleyTuesday - overhead wire problems in Rugby and BletchleySunday and Monday - cable problems at WatfordFriday - Line is shut after a plane crash in Stafford
Samantha Buckley, 21, had returned from a skiing holiday in France and expected to catch the 0820 GMT Manchester Piccadilly service home to Wilmslow, Cheshire.Samantha Buckley, 21, had returned from a skiing holiday in France and expected to catch the 0820 GMT Manchester Piccadilly service home to Wilmslow, Cheshire.
"I don't really know what's going on. I don't know what I'll do now," she said. DAYS OF DELAYS Wednesday - cable failure near WembleyTuesday - overhead wire problems in Rugby and BletchleySunday and Monday - cable problems at WatfordFriday - Line is shut after a plane crash in Stafford
Twins Alastair and Rory Mitchell, 23, from Fulham, south west London, had been due to catch the 0830 GMT Virgin service to Glasgow to visit a friend. "I don't really know what's going on," she said. "I don't know what I'll do now."
The brothers said they now planned to go to King's Cross station to catch a different service to Scotland.
Joanne Brown, 40, from Beckenham, south east London, was booked on the 0903 GMT Virgin service to Birmingham New Street for a morning business meeting.Joanne Brown, 40, from Beckenham, south east London, was booked on the 0903 GMT Virgin service to Birmingham New Street for a morning business meeting.
"I'm fed up. We pay a lot of money to travel. If I'd known yesterday, I would have driven up there.""I'm fed up. We pay a lot of money to travel. If I'd known yesterday, I would have driven up there."
The latest power failure comes after travellers were disrupted on Monday as engineers worked through the night to repair damaged power lines which had stopped trains running on the West Coast Main Line.The latest power failure comes after travellers were disrupted on Monday as engineers worked through the night to repair damaged power lines which had stopped trains running on the West Coast Main Line.
And on Saturday the West Coast Main Line was closed when a plane ploughed into it in Little Haywood, near Stafford, at noon on Friday.And on Saturday the West Coast Main Line was closed when a plane ploughed into it in Little Haywood, near Stafford, at noon on Friday.
The crash claimed three lives and left thousands of rail passengers stranded as services were brought to a halt.
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Thousands face further rail chaosThousands face further rail chaos
The crash claimed three lives and left thousands of rail passengers stranded as services were brought to a halt.
Liberal Democrat transport spokesman Norman Baker said: "Natural events do occur, but Network Rail needs to build more resilience into the network.
"It seems that if there's a light dusting of snow within 40 miles of a rail line something will go wrong.
"I have travelled from Stockholm to the Arctic Circle on a train that arrived five minutes early, yet Britain lapses into chaos at the first hint of snow."
Are you affected by the problems on the train routes this morning? Are you struggling to get into work? Tell us about your experience.
Are you affected by the problems on the train routes this morning? Are you struggling to get into work? Tell us about your experience.
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