Rail passengers across Northwest England are facing major disruption and travel chaos this morning after significant damage to overhead electric wires has brought services between Manchester and Liverpool to a standstill.
The incident occurred near Earlestown station, causing widespread cancellations and severe delays that are expected to continue throughout the morning rush hour. Commuters are being warned to expect significant disruption to their journeys and allow extra travel time.
Which Services Are Affected?
Multiple rail operators have been impacted by the infrastructure failure:
- TransPennine Express services between Manchester Airport and Glasgow/Edinburgh
- Northern services between Manchester Airport and Liverpool Lime Street
- Transport for Wales services between Manchester Piccadilly and Llandudno
Network Rail engineers are currently on site working to repair the damaged overhead wires, but no estimated time for full service restoration has been provided.
Passenger Advice and Alternative Travel
Rail operators are advising passengers to:
- Avoid travel between Manchester and Liverpool if possible
- Allow significant extra time for journeys
- Check with individual train operators before travelling
- Consider alternative routes where available
"We understand this is causing significant disruption to people's journeys and we're working to restore services as quickly as possible," a Network Rail spokesperson said.
The disruption comes during a busy travel period, adding frustration for commuters and travellers already facing ongoing rail challenges across the region.
