Friday’s rush hour turned into a nightmare for thousands of commuters as a major signal failure at London Victoria and Waterloo Stations left them stranded and struggling to find a way home. National Rail announced this evening that no trains were able to enter or leave the station due to a complete signal failure, causing extensive delays expected to continue throughout the night.
Passengers shared pictures depicting the chaos at the station, with dozens of individuals unable to proceed with their journeys and empty departure boards providing no updates. Frustration grew as furious passengers were told to seek alternative routes out of the capital, leading to additional disruption for southeastern services during the peak of rush hour.
National Rail has stated that the disruption is likely to persist until 9:00pm tonight, cautioning that trains may be cancelled, delayed, or subject to revisions. The situation is expected to worsen as tens of thousands of rail workers are preparing for strike action in the coming weeks, further impacting travel plans.
Reports from stranded passengers indicate that thousands were left with no means of reaching their destinations as they attempted to return home from work. Southeastern Rail confirmed that two of its trains, originating from Gillingham and Dartford and bound for Victoria, were immobilized outside the station. While they have since been moved, none of the operator’s trains can currently operate in or out of Victoria.
Southeastern Rail explained that the signalling system fault was reported earlier in the day, prompting Network Rail response staff to commence repair work at 3:00 PM. However, the fault worsened around 6:00 PM, affecting all platforms at the station. Network Rail personnel remain on-site, diligently working to rectify the issue.
The current signal failure adds to the mounting travel challenges faced by passengers, with strikes planned in the coming weeks. The Aslef union’s drivers have agreed to two overtime bans, impacting travel across 16 operators over a span of 12 days. Additionally, the RMT has announced that 20,000 workers will go on strike on three separate days later this month, citing train operators’ failure to present a new pay offer to address the issues.
The scheduled industrial action by the RMT is set to disrupt rail services nationwide on July 20, 22, and 29. These dates coincide with the start of summer holidays for most schools in the UK, resulting in further complications for travellers. The strikes also align with significant sporting events, including the prestigious golf tournament, The Open Championship, taking place at Royal Liverpool from July 16 to 23.
As the chaos unfolded at Victoria Station, National Rail took to Twitter to provide passengers with updates. A spokesperson from Network Rail expressed apologies to those affected by the disruption on Southeastern services, assuring passengers that their team of engineers is actively investigating the fault with the signalling equipment. In the meantime, passengers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries for updates and to explore alternative routes where possible.
