Major Rail Disruption Hits England After Power Failure, Passengers Urged to Avoid Travel

06th August, 2026 | UK News

Thousands of rail passengers across England are facing major travel disruption after an electrical supply failure affected services in Greater Manchester, the Midlands and the North West.

National Rail said the power outage at a communications centre has resulted in widespread delays, cancellations and revised services, with disruption expected to continue until the end of Thursday.

Several major rail operators have been affected, including Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, Northern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales. Northern and TransPennine Express have advised passengers not to travel unless absolutely necessary.

Services between major cities have been severely impacted. East Midlands Railway confirmed that trains between Sheffield and Liverpool Lime Street have been suspended until further notice, although routes between Nottingham and Sheffield remain operational.

At Manchester and Leeds stations, numerous services have been delayed or cancelled, while passengers at Liverpool Lime Street, Wigan and other stations reported long waits, overcrowding and limited information.

Some travellers shared their frustrations, including a woman who said she was forced to pay an expensive Uber fare to attend a midwife appointment after her train was disrupted. Other passengers complained of being stranded on trains for extended periods without updates or access to food.

National Rail has advised passengers whose journeys are delayed or cancelled that they may be entitled to compensation. Those who choose not to travel can request a full refund from their original ticket retailer, while passengers who complete delayed journeys can claim compensation through their train operator’s Delay Repay scheme.

Authorities have urged passengers to check the latest travel information before setting out, as engineers continue working to restore normal rail services.