Tube lines hit by rush hour delays

Tube travellers suffered severe delays today with one line closed and another part-suspended.

The problems, days before the opening of the Olympics, hit the Bakerloo line and the Waterloo & City line.

The entire Waterloo & City line closed mid morning due to a signal system failure.

Earlier, in the heart of the rush hour, a fire alert at Charing Cross Underground station led to a suspension of the Bakerloo line between Paddington and Elephant & Castle and then between Piccadilly Circus and Elephant & Castle.

By late morning, the line was open again but was running with severe delays.

To add to travellers' difficulties in the south London area, emergency engineering work on the main line meant trains run by the Southeastern train company were unable to call at stations between Elephant & Castle and Shortlands during the rush hour.

The engineering work also caused disruption to services run by First Capital Connect, and there were rush hour delays to services in and out of Marylebone station, due to a broken-down train.

PA