Rail passengers are facing major disruption after a fire broke out inside a railway tunnel near Sheffield, forcing services through the Peak District to be halted. Four fire crews were sent to Totley Tunnel, between Totley and Grindleford, on Saturday evening, August 15, following reports of a fire. South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service warned that the incident was producing large amounts of smoke, with people living nearby advised to keep their windows and doors closed and avoid the area where possible.
The incident initially forced all railway lines through the area to close while firefighters tackled the blaze and railway officials waited for conditions to become safe enough for an inspection. The disruption affected a number of major routes, including East Midlands Railway services between Liverpool Lime Street and Nottingham and Norwich, Northern trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield, and TransPennine Express services between Liverpool Lime Street and Cleethorpes.
National Rail later confirmed that lines had reopened between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield and Chesterfield. However, passengers were warned that the incident was continuing to have a significant impact on the network, with trains liable to be cancelled, delayed or terminated short of their destinations.
Major disruption was expected to continue for the remainder of Saturday evening while the railway recovered from the incident. Passengers planning to travel through Sheffield or across the Hope Valley were advised to check their journeys before setting off.
