UK: delays & disruptions

Wintry weather and Storm Goretti to affect services across England, Scotland and Wales until Friday 9 January 

Route(s) affected

Across various routes in England, Scotland and Wales

Description

The Met Office have issued yellow and amber weather warnings for snow, ice, rain and wind that may affect services across England, Wales and Scotland until the end of the day on Friday 9 January.

Storm Goretti has been named and will bring strong winds and snow to some parts of England and Wales. Services will be impacted today, 8 January and on Friday 9 January.

If you are travelling on any of the affected days you are strongly advised to check your full journey before you travel.

Stay safe on the rail network in these snowy and icy conditions. Don't rush, hold the handrail on stairs and escalators, and use the lift if you've got heavy luggage, bikes or pushchairs.

The forecast weather may cause trains to be disrupted:

• In very cold weather, snow and ice can build up on the tracks blocking points, the equipment that allows trains to move between tracks
• Ice can coat the electrified third rail and overhead power cables, preventing trains from drawing the power they need to run and leaving them stranded
• Icicles on tunnels, bridges and other structures can also damage trains and overhead power cables
• In very snowy weather where snow lies deeper than 30cm, trains can’t run safely unless they have been fitted with snow ploughs.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey.

Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.

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Major disruption between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5 / Reading until the end of the day.

Route(s) affected

Elizabeth line services to / from London Paddington

Great Western Railway services to / from London Paddington

Heathrow Express between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5

Description

Multiple incidents are severely disrupting services between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5 / Reading. A significantly reduced service is operating between these stations.

The incidents are as follows:

• There is damage to the overhead electric wires between London Paddington and Acton Main Line
• A freight train had broken down at a critical location outside a junction near Reading - this is now on the move

Therefore, trains may be cancelled, severely delayed by up to 45 minutes, or revised. Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Elizabeth line customer advice:

Elizabeth line are running a limited reduced service. Some services have been altered as follows:

• Services between Shenfield and Heathrow Terminal 5 will run between Shenfield and London Liverpool Street
• Two trains per hour are scheduled to run between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4, however, these are experiencing significant delays

Customers requiring Heathrow Airport Terminal 5 are advised to take services to Heathrow Terminal 4 and change at Heathrow Terminals 2 & 3 for Heathrow Express services to Terminal 5. Alternatively, passengers may travel to Heathrow on the London Underground Piccadilly line at no additional cost.

To help you complete your journey, you can use your ticket at no extra cost on:

• London Underground services via any reasonable route
• London Buses and local buses between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport / Reading
• Docklands Light Railway services via any reasonable route
• Southeastern services between Abbey Wood and London Terminals
• Thameslink services between Abbey Wood and Farringdon
• South Western Railway services between London Waterloo and Reading

Great Western Railway customer advice:

Services are on the move again following the broken down freight train. The overhead wire damage requires ongoing repairs which are expected to continue until the end of the day. Therefore, only one line is available for trains to use.

Local stopping services between that run London Paddington and Didcot Parkway will only run between Reading and Didcot Parkway.

Most of longer distance Intercity services will continue to run between London Paddington and Reading, but may be subject to delay and some services between London Paddington and Newbury, Cardiff Central, Bristol Temple Meads and Oxford may not run.

To help you complete your journey, your ticket can be used at no extra cost on:

• Chiltern Railways between London Marylebone and Oxford
• Elizabeth line between London Paddington and Reading (please note that Elizabeth Line services have also been affected by these incidents today, so may be subject to disruption)
• London Underground Bakerloo line to London Waterloo and London Marylebone
• South Western Railway between London Waterloo and Reading

If you travel from a station on one of the routes suggested, your rail ticket will be valid to travel back to the same station later in the day.

Heathrow Express customer advice:

A half hourly service will be in operation.

You might want to consider postponing your journey until services return to normal.

Compensation:

You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.

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This is expected until 07:30.

Check before you travel:

Your customers can check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.

Compensation:

Your customers may be entitled to compensation if they experience a delay in completing their journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.

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