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Thousands suffer rail disruption Thousands suffer rail disruption
(39 minutes later)
Rail passengers are facing long delays after power lines came down halting 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 failed in north-west London as a train was passing through. London Midland and Virgin services to and from Euston were suspended after cables struck a train in north-west London as it 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 the north west is affected, as are regular commuter lines in and out of London.
Network Rail said lines had now reopened and Virgin Trains had begun running a reduced service.Network Rail said lines had now reopened and Virgin Trains had begun running a reduced service.
Two trains per hour are running from Euston to Birmingham and Manchester and one an hour to Chester, Liverpool and Glasgow.Two trains per hour are running from Euston to Birmingham and Manchester and one an hour to Chester, Liverpool and Glasgow.
By mid-afternoon more frequent services should be running.By mid-afternoon more frequent services should be running.
London Midland has also begun operating a reduced service.London Midland has also begun operating a reduced service.
All trains in and out of Euston were affected earlierAll trains in and out of Euston were affected earlier
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. A Network Rail spokesman said a string of problems on the West Coast Main Line in recent days were being investigated.
He said they appeared to have been unrelated and were due to "unfortunate coincidences".
The latest affected stretch of line was 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.
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.
Toby Corballis, 43, from Highgate, north London, wanted to go to Manchester on business. He was forced to take a service from St Pancras to Sheffield and change there. Samantha Broome, 22, of Far Forest, Worcestershire, was on the 2023 GMT train from Euston hit by the cables on Tuesday.
She said: "I heard a bang above my head and the carriage shook. There was a bright flash and I just screamed.
'Wrong information'
"We sat on the train for over two-and-a-half hours, guards were running up and down trying to work out what had happened. We were given survival blankets because it was cold."
Toby Corballis, 43, from Highgate, north London, travelled to Manchester on business earlier. He was forced to take a service from St Pancras to Sheffield and change there.
He criticised Virgin Trains for not providing enough information at Euston.He criticised Virgin Trains for not providing enough information at Euston.
Mr Corballis, chief executive of a software company, said Virgin had wrongly told him East Midlands Trains would accept his ticket on its 0637 GMT service. Mr Corballis, chief executive of a software company, said Virgin had wrongly told him East Midlands Trains would accept his ticket, which cost £91, on its 0637 GMT service.
He had paid £91 for a first class advance return ticket.
"I thought here we go again, because Virgin are appalling when it comes to information," he said."I thought here we go again, because Virgin are appalling when it comes to information," he 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 StaffordDAYS 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
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."
Allan Gardner, of Sandwell, West Midlands, travels to and from Euston every weekday and said the recent delays had been "pretty bad". He cancelled his journey earlier.Allan Gardner, of Sandwell, West Midlands, travels to and from Euston every weekday and said the recent delays had been "pretty bad". He cancelled his journey earlier.
The 58-year-old business consultant, who pays £310 a week for season tickets, said: "I'm trying to keep myself in a job. I've lost a day's fees."The 58-year-old business consultant, who pays £310 a week for season tickets, said: "I'm trying to keep myself in a job. I've lost a day's fees."
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 line was closed after a plane crashed near the tracks in Little Haywood, near Stafford, at 1200 GMT on Friday.
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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.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.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."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.""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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