Elizabeth Line passengers faced hours of severe disruption on Friday, 9 May, after vandalism and cable theft between Romford and Chadwell Heath caused delays across the network.
Services between Shenfield and Whitechapel were worst affected, with Transport for London warning of significant delays during the morning and afternoon peaks. Greater Anglia services also experienced knock-on disruption due to the infrastructure damage.
According to rail officials, the delays stemmed from “vandalism and theft,” believed to be the removal of crucial trackside cabling near Romford, a recurring issue that has previously caused major network disruption.
Passengers Advised to Avoid Travel
Commuters were urged to check before travelling, with some services cancelled outright and others facing extended journey times and platform changes.
By late evening, services began to recover, but TfL confirmed that full normal operations wouldn’t resume until early Friday morning.
An investigation into the theft is ongoing, and British Transport Police are appealing for any information that could help identify those responsible.
