Major delays are expected at King’s Cross Station today following a trackside fire at Stevenage, which has caused significant disruption to train services. National Rail has warned travellers to expect delays of up to 90 minutes, with many services being cancelled.
Earlier today, firefighters were called to tackle flames affecting signal cables near Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Although the fire has been extinguished, the damage caused to the railway infrastructure has led to major delays across key routes, including trains to and from London King’s Cross, Hull, Edinburgh, Brighton, and Newcastle.
Network Rail has issued a warning for passengers, advising them not to travel unless absolutely necessary. The disruption follows an earlier incident where a person was hit by a train between Broxbourne and Cheshunt, causing further delays across the Greater Anglia network.
Paul Rutter, Network Rail East Coast route director, stated: “We’re sorry to passengers impacted by the lineside fire at Stevenage today and the ongoing disruption. Our engineers are working to repair the damage, but services will face major disruption for the rest of the day.”
Alternative Travel Options
Passengers affected by the delays have been offered alternative routes at no additional cost. National Rail has confirmed tickets will be accepted on the following services:
- Avanti West Coast between Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston
- CrossCountry via any reasonable route
- East Midlands Railway between Sheffield/Leicester and London St Pancras International
- Greater Anglia between Cambridge and London Liverpool Street
- LNER, London Underground, Northern, and TransPennine Express via any reasonable route
Network Rail has also acknowledged the ‘significant damage’ to the signalling equipment caused by the fire, leading to a severely reduced number of trains running for the rest of the day. Passengers are encouraged to check travel updates regularly and explore alternative routes where possible.
