CrossCountry has cancelled almost all of its services across the UK after a power cut at its control centre in Birmingham caused major disruption to the systems used to manage its railway operations.
The outage began on Saturday, with the operator warning passengers that services across most of its network would remain suspended until further notice because of what it described as significant and unforeseen disruption.
The disruption has affected major routes stretching from Glasgow to Penzance and Leeds to Manchester, leaving thousands of passengers scrambling for alternative ways to reach their destinations.
Power Cut Brings CrossCountry Network to a Standstill
CrossCountry said the Birmingham power outage had made several systems required to operate and manage its services unavailable.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she was concerned about the incident and had asked publicly owned rail operators to provide additional services where possible.
Network Rail power teams were also sent to the site and were working to restore power and the affected systems.
However, CrossCountry said it could not provide a firm timetable for when normal services would resume.
When one passenger asked on social media whether the disruption would be resolved by Monday, the operator said it hoped so but had no further update.
Major Routes Hit
The cancellations have affected a wide range of CrossCountry services, including important connections between major cities.
Affected routes include-
Manchester to Birmingham, via Stoke on Trent, Wolverhampton and Coventry.
Leeds to York.
Cheltenham to Cardiff.
Glasgow to Edinburgh.
Services towards Plymouth and Penzance.
Connections between Reading and Manchester.
CrossCountry normally serves more than 100 stations, but the company said the only route expecting a near-normal service was the Peterborough Cambridge tansted Airport route.
At Birmingham New Street, passengers were met with repeated announcements and special notices on digital information boards warning them about the cancellations.
Football Fans Among Those Hit
The disruption came at a particularly difficult time for passengers travelling to weekend football fixtures.
Fans travelling to matches involving Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle were warned that alternative services could become extremely busy.
One passenger, 22 year old Reese Proctor, was travelling from Reading to Manchester for a football match at the Etihad Stadium. After his train was cancelled, he had to rely on friends and drive more than 100 miles to Leicester before continuing towards Manchester.
He said the disruption added around two hours to his journey and described the situation as frustrating and unacceptable.
For passengers without access to a car or friends able to provide lifts, the cancellations created an even greater challenge.
Other Rail Operators Step In
Other train companies have offered limited assistance to passenger affected by the CrossCountry cancellations.
Chiltern Railways added services between Birmingham Moor Street and Oxford and said it would accept CrossCountry tickets via reasonable alternative route.
London North Eastern Railway also confirmed that CrossCountry tickets would be accepted on its services to help affected passengers reach their destinations.
Passengers travelling towards Plymouth and Penzance were advised to make use of Great Western Railway services where possible.
National Rail also said affected passengers could use London Underground services without paying extra, as well as West Midlands Metro services between Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street.
Tickets Extended Until Wednesday
CrossCountry confirmed that tickets purchased for travel on Sunday would remain valid until Wednesday.
Passengers who decide not to travel can claim a refund, while those whose journeys are delayed by 30 minutes or more may be entitled to Delay Repay compensation.
The operator apologised to customers and said it was working with relevant partners to restore services.
However, with the exact timing of the recovery still uncertain, passengers have been advised to check for update before travelling.
A Major Weekend Test for Britain's Rail Network
The incident has created widespread disruption across some of Britain busiest inter city routes and has highlighted how dependent modern rail operations are on the systems housed at central control facilities.
For passengers, the immediate concern is finding alternative routes and reaching their destinations.
For CrossCountry and the wider rail industry, the priority is restoring the affected system while ensuring that passengers receive clear information and appropriate support.
Until the power and operational systems are fully restored, travellers are being urged to expect significant disruption and allow extra time for their journeys.