Commuters faced utter chaos tonight at London Paddington after a trespasser sparked major travel chaos by wandering onto the tracks during the evening rush hour.
Elizabeth Line Delays Bring Paddington to a Standstill
Trains between Paddington, Heathrow, and Reading ground to a halt, with delays hitting up to 40 minutes. The Elizabeth line concourse became a crush of frustrated travellers as cancellations snowballed, leaving thousands stranded.
Alice Murphy, Metro’s travel editor: “It is absolutely chaos. It’s really difficult to move in the station, and crowds of people are piling up.”
Trespasser Lights Up on Live Tracks
Video circulating on social media shows a man casually strolling along the railway line between Hanwell and Southall — even lighting a cigarette while on the tracks. An eyewitness said: “The reason all the trains into and out of Paddington are currently delayed. Just casually walking up the fast line between Hanwell and Southall!”
Service Disruption to Drag on Until 7pm
National Rail has confirmed the trespasser was removed and all lines through Southall have reopened. However, delays and cancellations are expected to continue until at least 7pm as services struggle to recover.
- Elizabeth line services between Abbey Wood, Heathrow Terminal 4, Maidenhead, Reading, Shenfield, and Heathrow Terminal 5
- Great Western Railway routes from Paddington to Didcot Parkway, Oxford, Worcester Foregate Street, Hereford, Cardiff Central, Swansea, Carmarthen, Newbury, Bristol Temple Meads, Weston-super-Mare, Exeter St Davids, Paignton, Plymouth, and Penzance
- Heathrow Express between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5
Passengers using these routes are urged to expect ongoing disruption this evening. British Transport Police have been contacted for comment.
