Electricity fault disrupts Paddington-area rail services, London commuters hit by travel chaos
Dozens of trains delayed or cancelled as routes between Paddington and Southall are blocked by a failure of the electricity supply, Great Western Railway says
London commuters faced travel chaos Sunday night as a fault in the electricity supply disrupted services at London Paddington and along the line toward Reading. Dozens of trains were delayed or cancelled as several routes between Paddington Station and Southall were blocked by a failure of the electricity supply.
Great Western Railway said the disruption was caused by a failure of the electricity supply between London Paddington and Southall, which has blocked some lines. Train services between London Paddington and Reading may be cancelled or delayed as staff work to restore normal service. The disruption is being treated as breaking news, with authorities promising more information as it becomes available.
The impact extended beyond rail tracks, with photos showing the entrance to the Tube at Paddington being cordoned off by staff, underscoring the broader disruption at one of London’s busiest transit hubs. Passengers were advised to monitor live updates from rail operators and to prepare for possible changes to schedules throughout the evening.
Officials did not immediately indicate when normal service would resume, but rail operators urged travelers to check National Rail Enquiries or their specific operator app for the latest timings. While some routes on the Paddington-to-Southall corridor were affected, connectivity on other lines remained in service, though passengers should expect knock-on delays as trains are rescheduled.
Paddington serves as a major interchange for intercity and commuter services, and the outage into the evening is likely to have ripple effects across the capital’s transport network. Transport authorities emphasized safety and asked travelers to follow official guidance and avoid congested areas around the station until authorities confirm a full restoration of services.
Further updates are expected as engineers diagnose the cause and work to restore electricity supply to the affected lines. In the meantime, city travelers are urged to consider alternative routes, including buses or other rail lines, and to allow extra time for journeys that would normally pass through Paddington and Reading corridors.