London Waterloo cancels all trains after 8pm as more snow and freezing weather on way

South Western Railway to stop all services early, affecting thousands of passengers at UK's busiest station

All trains out of London Waterloo station after 8pm have been cancelled because of the severe weather.

South Western Railway (SWR) said it would all stop running services early on Friday due to heavy snow and high winds forecast for the afternoon.

It will affect thousands of passengers at the UK’s busiest rail station.

In a statement, the company said: “Our colleagues, together with Network Rail have battled tirelessly throughout the night to try to get trains moving in very challenging conditions and will continue to do so throughout the day.

“Despite this, we’ve had to make a difficult decision to close down our service early today. This is so that we can get as many of you home as possible.”

“We are urging you therefore not to attempt to travel today. If you have already travelled, please return as early as possible.”

SWR said it was “in the process of planning our last trains today” and would issue more information when possible.

“We cannot guarantee to get you to your destination this evening,” it told passengers.

SWR runs every train out of London Waterloo, a major hub in the capital that serves routes to the south cost, south-west, and Surrey.

Trains to Portsmouth, Exeter, Reading, Weymouth and Windsor are among those affected.

Services elsewhere in the country, including trains from Portsmouth to Southampton and Ascot to Guilford, have also been cut.

Services will begin to wind down at 6pm.

A Network Rail spokesman said: “Owing to the continued extreme weather conditions we are asking people not to travel across the South Western Railway network today unless absolutely essential.

“Services across the route will also be stopping early this evening.

“We thank passengers for their patience as we manage these extreme conditions and anyone who has to travel today should check National Rail and South Western Railway websites.”

The cancellations come after SWR passengers were forced to endure a night inside train carriages which ground to a halt between London Waterloo and Weymouth.

The service broke down near Christchurch, Dorset, on Thursday evening after the train track providing it with power froze.

Four other trains to stop behind it and forced passengers to endure a night without heating or electricity inside the carriages.

Commuter Philip Brown was one of around 50 passengers who spent 15 hours on the 5.05pm service which broke down.

The 49-year-old insurance company worker said: “It was too cold to sleep. There were people with jumpers wrapped around their legs trying to keep themselves warm.

“I didn’t have any food or water. I couldn’t tell you how cold it was but it was cold enough to prevent you from sleeping.”