Tens of thousands of rail commuters suffered horrendous disruption today as a series of major breakdowns cancelled and delayed services into mainline Waterloo, the UK’s busiest station.
South Western Railway (SWR) sent out alerts to passengers warning them buses would replace trains on some routes or to use the Tube where possible.
The problems – caused by Network Rail (NR) failures and not the operator – come just 48 hours after SWR passengers recorded the lowest value for money satisfaction in a national survey.
Just 34 per cent said they were satisfied with the service for what they paid for their tickets.
There were four major incidents;
- Due to late finish of Network Rail (NR) night engineering work all lines were blocked between Clapham Junction and Richmond during the height of the morning peak; buses replaced trains between Waterloo, Feltham and Richmond,
- A signalling problem at Woking blocked some lines into London with trains cancelled, delayed or revised.
- A power failure between Dorking and Raynes Park halted services between Dorking, Chessington and Waterloo in both directions.
- A derailment of a heavy freight train earlier in the week between Southampton and Winchester continued to block lines with major knock-on effects to services.
Rail chiefs blamed “a number of incidents” causing problems getting into Waterloo.
SWR told passengers heading into London: “Due to engineering works not being finished on time between Clapham Junction and Richmond all lines are blocked.”
Commuters were advised to take TfL buses between Surbiton, Feltham and Waterloo, the Tube or London Overground services or switch to Great Western Railway (GWR) mainline trains.
Tickets were being accepted on all alternative routes.
An SWR spokesperson apologised to passengers advising all to check before they travelled.
The problems – caused by NR failures and not the operator – come just 48 hours after SWR passengers recorded the lowest value for money satisfaction in a national survey.
Many SWR passengers took the advice to use the Tube instead and alighted at Wimbledon to catch District Line trains into London – only then to be told of yet more delays because of a signal failure at Parsons Green.
Bizarrely, delayed Tube passengers were being advised to use SWR trains instead.
Track damaged caused by the derailed freight train is so severe that engineers now believe the lines may not be open again until Monday.
Six wagons derailed ripping up the tracks and signalling cables.
