West Coast main line chaos for rail passengers as overhead wires tangle

Severe disruption is expected to last until the end of the day

Line call: engineers have been summoned to fix the overhead wires south of Lancaster (Network Rail)

Trains are unable to run on the West Coast main line between Preston and Carlisle because of severe damage to overhead wires in the Lancaster area.

Hundreds of passengers aboard the 7.15am Virgin Trains service from Birmingham to Glasgow have been stuck in the Garstang area all morning, and are finally expected to be towed back to Preston about five hours behind schedule.

Problems began earlier when TransPennine Express train broke down between Preston and Lancaster. It was eventually moved.

Most Virgin Trains, Northern and TransPennine Express services that are due to use the line have been cancelled or are running with severe delays.

National Rail said: “Damage to the overhead electric wires and a broken down train in the Lancaster area is resulting in all lines being blocked between these stations.”

The West Coast main line connects London and the West Midlands with northwest England and Scotland.

Trains are currently unable to run on the 20-mile stretch from Preston to Lancaster. Some are operating north of Lancaster, to Oxenholme and to Barrow in Furness.

Coach operators have been booked to provide bus links but Northern customer service said: “There is no estimate for when replacement transport will be in operation.”

Reports from Carlisle say there are long queues for buses.

TransPennine Express and Virgin are both urging passengers not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

Tickets on both operators are valid for travel via the East Coast main line, but this is also disrupted because of “a safety inspection of the track just north of York station”.

National Rail says: “Trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised.”

Photographs issued by Network Rail’s Manchester office show serious damage to the overhead wires. It is not known whether the damage was done by the train that is now broken down.

Severe disruption is expected to last until the end of the day.