Pictures showed crowds gathering at London Euston as signal fault impacts Avanti services
Train passengers were left stranded on crowded platforms today after a major signal failure caused travel chaos for passengers, including hundreds of people travelling to and from Liverpool Lime Street. A signal fault between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central meant that services in and out of London Euston were suspended earlier today.
Avanti West Coast provides a direct train service from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street. Services from Euston to Lime Street and from Lime Street to Euston were cancelled due to the signal failure. On social media, passengers reported being "dumped" at stations after services were cancelled.
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Pictures posted on Twitter/X showed massive crowds building at Euston Station. One passenger travelling from Manchester Piccadilly to Milton Keynes told the Manchester Evening News that "a train full of passengers was told to disembark and 'dumped' at Rugby station this afternoon".
Passengers trying to travel from London to Liverpool were advised to travel from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street, then change for a West Midlands Railway service at Birmingham New Street for Liverpool Lime Street.
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National Rail said in a statement online: "Some lines are blocked due to a fault with the signalling system between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction and earlier damage to the overhead electric wires. As a result, trains between Milton Keynes Central and London Euston may be cancelled, delayed by up to 70 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day."
On its website, Avanti West Coast said: "Cancellations to services between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central. Following damage to the overhead electric wires between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central some lines have now reopened."
The update continued: "Due to a fault with the signalling system between Watford Junction and Milton Keynes Central some lines are blocked."
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