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| Fallen cable cuts London-Scotland train service to ribbons | Fallen cable cuts London-Scotland train service to ribbons |
| (30 days later) | |
| Thousands of passengers are embroiled in travel chaos after a kilometre of overhead cable came down across the east coast main line and brought train services between London and Scotland to a virtual standstill. | Thousands of passengers are embroiled in travel chaos after a kilometre of overhead cable came down across the east coast main line and brought train services between London and Scotland to a virtual standstill. |
| Network Rail engineers have been working on repairs since around 9pm on Tuesday, when a long stretch of cable fell across four tracks on the main travel artery between London, Yorkshire and Scotland. | Network Rail engineers have been working on repairs since around 9pm on Tuesday, when a long stretch of cable fell across four tracks on the main travel artery between London, Yorkshire and Scotland. |
| A Network Rail spokesman said: "Our engineers have worked through the night to carry out the repairs and continue to work on the affected section of railway, but the scale of the problem means no trains will be able to run through this section until midday at least, when a diesel-only service will be able to operate." | A Network Rail spokesman said: "Our engineers have worked through the night to carry out the repairs and continue to work on the affected section of railway, but the scale of the problem means no trains will be able to run through this section until midday at least, when a diesel-only service will be able to operate." |
| No electric trains are able to travel on the line but First Capital Connect are currently running two diesel-powered trains per hour to Biggleswade, where passengers are then able to travel the 36 miles to Peterborough by bus. Trains are then running from Peterborough but the rail replacement will extend journey times by around an hour. | No electric trains are able to travel on the line but First Capital Connect are currently running two diesel-powered trains per hour to Biggleswade, where passengers are then able to travel the 36 miles to Peterborough by bus. Trains are then running from Peterborough but the rail replacement will extend journey times by around an hour. |
| East Coast advised passengers to delay their journey: "East Coast services are currently starting from, and terminating at, Peterborough. Our advice to passengers travelling to or from stations south of Peterborough, including London King's Cross, is to defer journeys until tomorrow, when tickets dated for travel today will be accepted. | East Coast advised passengers to delay their journey: "East Coast services are currently starting from, and terminating at, Peterborough. Our advice to passengers travelling to or from stations south of Peterborough, including London King's Cross, is to defer journeys until tomorrow, when tickets dated for travel today will be accepted. |
| "In addition, East Coast tickets are being accepted via alternative routes to London, including on East Midlands Trains' services via Sheffield, and on Virgin West Coast services. | "In addition, East Coast tickets are being accepted via alternative routes to London, including on East Midlands Trains' services via Sheffield, and on Virgin West Coast services. |
| "All ticket restrictions on East Coast trains have been lifted for the remainder of today. We apologise to all passengers affected by this disruption." | "All ticket restrictions on East Coast trains have been lifted for the remainder of today. We apologise to all passengers affected by this disruption." |
| The overhead cable hit a train at St Neots in Cambridgeshire at around 3.40am on Wednesday. The train was stopped and its passengers were moved on to a bus to take them to Peterborough. | The overhead cable hit a train at St Neots in Cambridgeshire at around 3.40am on Wednesday. The train was stopped and its passengers were moved on to a bus to take them to Peterborough. |
| But their misfortune deepened when the bus crashed into the central reservation of the A1 near Buckden. Fowler's Travel confirmed it was the company that provided the replacement bus but would not comment further as the incident was "still under investigation". | But their misfortune deepened when the bus crashed into the central reservation of the A1 near Buckden. Fowler's Travel confirmed it was the company that provided the replacement bus but would not comment further as the incident was "still under investigation". |
| The last main line train leaving London's King's Cross station on Tuesday night was cancelled and approximately 100 people slept on the train with blankets provided by East Coast. Other passengers were put up in a hotel overnight. | The last main line train leaving London's King's Cross station on Tuesday night was cancelled and approximately 100 people slept on the train with blankets provided by East Coast. Other passengers were put up in a hotel overnight. |
| A spokesman for the RMT transport union said: "Last night was total chaos up there. This is what's going to happen and carry on happening. | A spokesman for the RMT transport union said: "Last night was total chaos up there. This is what's going to happen and carry on happening. |
| "There's a massive backlog of maintenance on the overhead cabling, massive shortage of staff because of 20% cuts in the maintenance capacity. We've got ageing overhead cable stock at a time when there's not enough staff to do the routine maintenance." | "There's a massive backlog of maintenance on the overhead cabling, massive shortage of staff because of 20% cuts in the maintenance capacity. We've got ageing overhead cable stock at a time when there's not enough staff to do the routine maintenance." |
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