Passengers travelling to and from London Marylebone are facing delays and cancellations this evening due to a safety inspection of the track in west London.
The line towards London Marylebone between West Ruislip and South Ruislip is currently blocked while a safety inspection of the track takes place, National Rail has said. Chiltern Railways passengers are being advised to expect disruption until the end of the day.
Services affected
Services between West Ruislip and London Marylebone may be cancelled or delayed by up to 45 minutes. The disruption is affecting services on routes between Birmingham Snow Hill, Birmingham Moor Street, Stourbridge Junction, Stratford-upon-Avon, Banbury, Aylesbury, High Wycombe and Oxford and London Marylebone.
Passengers are advised to check the latest information for their service before travelling and allow additional time for their journeys, National Rail says.
Recent derailments
It comes as two passenger trains derailed just outside London within 24 hours of each other on Thursday and Friday last week, as temperatures climbed above 38C during the fifth heatwave of the summer. Extreme heat is known to cause steel rails to expand and sometimes buckle.
Investigations are under way by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) and Network Rail to establish what caused the two derailments.
Operator statement
A spokesperson for Chiltern Railways said: “We are sorry to announce that due to a safety inspection of the track between the Bicester area and Haddenham & Thame Parkway, services on the lines towards Oxford, London and the West Midlands, may be cancelled or delayed.”
