Train passengers are facing a second day of disruption on Friday after a power outage brought services to a halt across the Midlands and north-west England. Network Rail said most operators are now running a full service, but some disruption remains as trains and crew return to their normal positions.
Power cut causes widespread chaos
The power cut, which occurred at 1.40pm on Thursday, affected more than 400 Manchester postcodes, including the Manchester Rail Operating Centre, the main control hub for the region's railways. Network Rail's back-up power generators failed to activate immediately, causing signals to switch to red and leading to widespread cancellations and delays.
Electricity distribution company SP Electricity North West reported an incident on its high voltage cable in Harpurhey, north-east of Manchester city centre. A spokesperson said the outage affected around 5,000 customers, but all power was fully restored within 90 seconds.
Recovery efforts and ongoing impact
Network Rail has launched an investigation into the incident. Engineers worked through the night to restore signalling systems, which were fully operational late on Thursday. Displaced trains were returned to depots ahead of Friday's service.
National Rail Enquiries warned that disruption could continue until midday on Friday, advising passengers to check for travel updates. Ticket restrictions have been eased, with tickets accepted on Bee Network buses and Metrolink trams in Greater Manchester.
Chris Wright, Network Rail's North West route director, thanked passengers for their patience and said most services are now running. He added: "While some passengers may still experience disruption, we're continuing to work closely with train operators to return services to normal as quickly as possible." He urged travellers to check before they travel for the latest information.
