Rush-hour commuters faced severe disruption at London Euston on Thursday morning after a signal failure closed most lines. The fault, which occurred between Queens Park and Willesden Junction, was identified at around 3:30am, Network Rail said.
Only London Overground services were unaffected. By 7am, some lines had reopened, but rolling stock and train staff were out of position, causing significant delays. Virgin Trains warned of major disruption until at least 10am and lifted ticket restrictions, allowing passengers to board any train to their destination.
London Northwestern Railway operated a half-hourly service between Northampton and Euston, but trains were heavily loaded. Rail replacement buses ran between Milton Keynes Central and Luton Airport Parkway, and between Watford Junction and Wellingborough, to connect passengers with alternative trains to London St Pancras.
A Network Rail spokesperson said: 'A major signalling problem is affecting all trains into and out of London Euston this morning. We're advising passengers to check their journey before they travel using National Rail Enquiries, as it may be severely impacted.'
Euston, the fifth-busiest station in Britain, normally handles 140,000 passengers on a weekday. Meanwhile, Extinction Rebellion protesters targeted the London Underground, climbing onto trains at Canning Town, Stratford, and Shadwell, causing parts of the Jubilee line to shut down.
