Tens of thousands of rail passengers are facing disruption to their journeys after engineering work on the West Coast Mainline continues to overrun.
Tens of thousands of rail passengers are facing disruption to their journeys after engineering work on the West Coast Mainline continues to overrun.
Network Rail apologised for the delay to the work at Rugby, which has left the line closed between Birmingham International and Northampton.
Network Rail apologised for the delay to the work at Rugby, which has left the line closed between Birmingham International and Northampton.
Liverpool Street station in London is also closed after works overran.
Liverpool Street station in London also closed after works overran.
The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) said on Wednesday it had launched an urgent investigation.
'Critical issue'
Chairman of the ORR, Chris Bolt, said: "We fined Network Rail for its project planning and management failings after it failed to complete the Portsmouth re-signalling project last Christmas.
"It is extremely disappointing to have a repeat of that experience on key parts of the network."
The ORR inquiry could lead to a number of sanctions on Network Rail including a financial penalty.
Network Rail apologised to passengers for the disruption caused by the "unacceptable" overrun.
It said the West Coast route through the Rugby area would remain closed for "at least the remainder" of Wednesday but it could be well into Thursday before services resume.
A spokesman said the "critical issue" was a shortage of specialist engineering staff, but additional manpower had been drafted in and was working "flat out" to restore the services as quickly as possible.
Network Rail said mainline services on the Great Eastern routes through to Norwich, which have been affected by the Liverpool Street works, would be restored on Wednesday afternoon.
Suburban services would continue to terminate at Stratford in east London, with a full service expected to run from Thursday morning.
Fare rises
Operations and customer services director Robin Gisby said: "Both these overruns are completely unacceptable and an urgent investigation into what has gone wrong has been launched.
"We are deeply sorry for the further disruption this news will cause to passengers.
"We are very grateful for the support of the train operating companies and London Underground in helping us deal with these unacceptable delays."
Our advice is don't try and travel on our trains today to and from London because we are no longer able to provide a very good service Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains
The delays come as train passengers across the UK face above-inflation fare rises of up to 11%.
The delays come as train passengers across the UK face above-inflation fare rises of up to 11%.
Regulated fares, which include most season tickets, are going up by an average of 4.8%, and many unregulated fares are set to rise by much more.
Regulated fares, which include most season tickets, are going up by an average of 4.8%, and many unregulated fares are set to rise by much more.
Consumer groups said the rises were unjustified, but train operators said they were needed for improvements.
Consumer groups said the rises were unjustified, but train operators said they were needed for improvements.
Liverpool Street was closed so that a bridge could be demolished and was due to reopen on Wednesday, but the work has not been completed.
Liverpool Street station was closed so that a bridge could be demolished and was due to reopen on Wednesday, but the work has not been completed.
'Major inconvenience'
Birmingham International station was also forced to close on Wednesday morning after a fire broke out in a cafe.
Rail operator One Railway has warned that trains through Colchester and Chelmsford will be seriously disrupted and people may be forced to end their journeys in Stratford, east London.
Passengers and staff left the building while fire crews attended. There were no reports of any injuries.
Fellow rail operator Virgin, said it was exasperated about the West Coast Mainline delays and advised its passengers not to travel.
'Do not travel'
Rail operator Virgin, said it was exasperated about the West Coast Mainline delays and advised its passengers not to travel.
Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, said: "This is a major inconvenience to tens of thousands of our customers returning to work and it is not acceptable."
Chris Gibb, managing director of Virgin Trains, said: "This is a major inconvenience to tens of thousands of our customers returning to work and it is not acceptable."
Replacement bus services are being provided between Birmingham and Coventry stations, and Northampton, but they are expected to add two hours to journey times.
He later added: "Our advice is don't try and travel on our trains today to and from London because we are no longer able to provide a very good service."
Replacement bus services were being provided between Birmingham, Coventry and Northampton, but they were expected to add two hours to journey times.
The work had originally been expected to be finished by New Year's Eve, as Network Rail had been hoping to complete the works over the festive period when there were fewer passengers.
The work had originally been expected to be finished by New Year's Eve, as Network Rail had been hoping to complete the works over the festive period when there were fewer passengers.
Virgin had already lodged a complaint with the rail regulator after Network Rail announced on 21 December that the works would run into New Year's Eve. They have now run on for a further two days.
Virgin had already lodged a complaint with the rail regulator after Network Rail announced on 21 December that the works would run into New Year's Eve. They have now run on for a further two days.
Network Rail apologised to passengers for the disruption caused by the "unacceptable" overrun.
It said more than 300 people had been working on the site around the clock, yet it had still not been completed.
The "extremely complex" project formed part of the remodelling of Rugby station and its approaches, it added.
Network Rail is expected to give further information, including an estimate for when services would resume, on Wednesday.
Tony Ambrose is the founder of More Train Less Strain - a group which is planning a fare strike in protest at increases brought in by First Great Western.
He told BBC Radio Five Live: "The company itself put a letter on every passenger's seat a week before Christmas saying that they realised they were running a very poor train service and they knew they had to do better.
"But what they didn't tell us is that two weeks later they were going to put the fares up by 10%.
"What other commercial company would put prices up at a time when they tell you they are running a rubbish service?"
Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
Birmingham - Chiltern Railways to Marylebone
Nuneaton - Cross Country/East Midlands Trains via Leicester to St Pancras
Rugby - Drive to Kettering then East Midlands Trains to St Pancras
North West England - Trans Pennine Express/East Midlands Trains via Sheffield to St Pancras
North Wales - Virgin Trains/Cross Country/Chiltern Railways via Birmingham to Marylebone
Scotland - National Express East Coast to King's Cross
Passengers to and from London are being urged to use alternative routes as follows:
Birmingham - Chiltern Railways to Marylebone
Nuneaton - Cross Country/East Midlands Trains via Leicester to St Pancras
Rugby - Drive to Kettering then East Midlands Trains to St Pancras
North West England - Trans Pennine Express/East Midlands Trains via Sheffield to St Pancras
North Wales - Virgin Trains/Cross Country/Chiltern Railways via Birmingham to Marylebone
Scotland - National Express East Coast to King's Cross
Have you been affected by these delays? Are you having to find alternative ways to get to work? Tell us your thoughts.
Have you been affected by these delays? Are you having to find alternative ways to get to work? Tell us your thoughts.
