Morning Update
Thank you for following our live updates regarding travel disruptions stemming from a blaze close to London Paddington.
For submissions or information, please reach out to olivia.carter@newsquest.co.uk
What Occurred
A fire ignited alongside railway tracks in the vicinity of London Paddington Station during the early hours.
All Routes Suspended
Every route has been shut down because of the fire near the station.
Rail services are not running between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport or Reading.
Which Lines Are Impacted
The Elizabeth line connecting London Paddington with Heathrow Terminal 4, Heathrow Terminal 5, and Reading
Great Western Railway operating between London Paddington and Swindon, Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Parkway, Oxford, Great Malvern, Hereford, Swansea, Carmarthen, Weston-super-Mare, and Exeter St Davids
Heathrow Express between London Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 5
Extended Disruption Expected
National Rail has confirmed significant disruption will persist until at least midday.
Guidance for Elizabeth line Passengers
Those travelling on the Elizabeth line who cannot use trains between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport or Reading may use their existing tickets at no additional charge on:
South Western Railway services between London Waterloo and Reading (note: engineering works are also in progress). The recommended route is:
Board a train from Reading to Virginia Water
From Virginia Water, take the rail replacement bus to Hounslow
From Hounslow, continue by train to London Waterloo
As another option, passengers may travel via the London Underground (suggested for those heading to or from Heathrow Airport), or utilize London and local bus services between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport or Reading.
Additional Details on the Blaze
The fire started at a depot adjacent to London Paddington station.
Electricity was turned off for safety purposes.
Heathrow Express Halted
Those planning to travel via Heathrow Express are being informed that services are presently not operating.
Fire Put Out
The earlier fire beside the tracks at a depot in the London Paddington area has been extinguished and power has been reinstated.
Recovery Will Require Time
Subsequent to the earlier fire, railway services in the region continue to experience substantial disruption.
National Rail has stated that service restoration on the affected lines will require “some time.”
Trains may be cancelled, delayed by as much as 60 minutes, or altered.
Guidance for Great Western Railway Passengers
Customers may use their tickets on the following services without extra charge:
Chiltern Railways via any reasonable route
South Western Railway via any reasonable route
Delay Update
Delays for affected trains have now decreased to approximately 20 minutes from the previous hour-long estimate.
Other services may still face cancellation or modification.
Disruption Persists
While disruption was originally anticipated to continue until 12pm, it remains in effect.
Remaining Impact
According to National Rail, only Great Western Railway continues to experience effects following the earlier fire.
Disruption is anticipated to continue until 1:30pm.
No Longer Affected
As previously mentioned, the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express are no longer impacted since power was reinstated.
Great Western Railway disruption is still expected to continue until 1:30pm.
Situation Concluded
The situation has now been resolved.
We are concluding our live blog.