UK: Electrical Fire Causes Widespread Rail Disruption in Berkshire

An electrical blaze discovered beside the track near Maidenhead Station in Berkshire at about 07:00 BST has caused significant rail disruption.

Fire crews were dispatched to the scene and managed to extinguish the fire using dry powder. Network Rail is currently investigating the cause of the fire.

Due to the incident, all services to London Paddington have been disrupted for the rest of the day and into tomorrow morning. The track operator has stated that London Paddington and Reading stations are currently very busy, and extra staff will be on hand to assist travellers during the evening peak.

The operator’s teams are working hard to reopen two of the four lines between Reading and Slough, following the reopening of the two main lines earlier today.

Great Western Railway (GWR) has cancelled trains between Marlow and Maidenhead via Bourne End, and services between Worcester Shrub Hill and Hereford have also been disrupted. However, earlier disruption to trains between Oxford and Banbury has ended.

Transport for London has reported significant disruptions to the Elizabeth Line. There is no service between Maidenhead and Reading, severe delays between Maidenhead and Hayes & Harlington, and minor delays between Whitechapel and Abbey Wood.

The incident has caused significant inconvenience to commuters and travellers in the affected areas. The investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing, and rail operators are working hard to restore services as quickly as possible.