(25/08) WAML disruption due to broken rail at Harlow

[700720]

This has been going on for a few hours - GA has said Do Not Travel between Liverpool Street and Stansted/Cambridge. No alternatives to Cambridge due to major engineering works on the ECML. In addition to major disruption between St Pancras and Luton and Paddington and Heathrow/Reading. And multiple issues mean there is essentially no Thameslink service.

 

[JonathanH]

No alternatives to Cambridge due to major engineering works on the ECML.

I'm sure some passengers will have circulated via Ipswich, but yes, essentially no practical alternative.

 

[youngiecj]

I'm sure some passengers will have circulated via Ipswich, but yes, essentially no practical alternative.

Indeed. My family couldn't get to London the queues at Bishops Stortford were terrible for taxis and buses. Opted for a Hotel at Stansted praying its fixed for tomorrow!

 

[Class 170101]

GA Train to Chelmsford, Airport Bus to Stansted.

There may also be Coaches between London and Stansted, route A9 is it?.

 

[CBG2KGX]

I was due to travel Liverpool St to Cambridge and have ended up on the bustitution route via King's Cross. Two buses and two trains with a bus connection at Hitchin. I expect to get to Cambridge 2h11 late. Absolute chaos at the Potters Bar bustitution - presumably the GA passengers massively increasing the numbers GTR had expected. GTR were trying to put people traveling to Cambridge into taxis directly to there, but the queue was very long and barely moving.

 

[Jimcam]

Could trains not have proceeded over the broken rail at, say, 5mph to keep some kind of service going? Is there a risk of derailment even at walking pace?

 

[66701GBRF]

Could trains not have proceeded over the broken rail at, say, 5mph to keep some kind of service going? Is there a risk of derailment even at walking pace?

Depends on the break and where it is. This particular break was through an insulated block joint and had the rail misaligned by an inch.

 

[Canary73]

GA Train to Chelmsford, Airport Bus to Stansted.

There may also be Coaches between London and Stansted, route A9 is

Yes that's what I would have done - you can get across to Stansted from Chelmsford or Colchester or the X10/X30/X20. There are some some local buses from Stansted to Harlow, Bishops Stortford etc alongside National Express and other longer distance operators. You'd have to pay the extra of course but the Airport services run by First Essex are included within the £2 single fare.