Issue with the Overhead Wires between Peterborough and Stevenage - 16/08/26

[MboroFC]

Will Grand Central services run to Kings Cross during the disruption still as they aren't electric, or will the line be blocked.
Thanks.

 

[Roger100]

I’m on a train stuck at Grantham, they told us all lines are blocked.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Reported on National Rail site that all lines in the Peterborough / Stevenage area are blocked just now. The 0837 Grand Central departure from Sunderland to London Kings Cross this morning doesn't seem to have got past York. @MboroFC. Did you have a planned journey sometime today? You may wish to consider an alternative route. Seems ticket acceptance is in place to do same.

 

[MboroFC]

Thanks, I was booked onto an LNER which won't make it to London, but wasn't sure whether the 12:11 Grand Central train from York would get me down since it's not electric. If not then I'll take the EMR route.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Aug 2026 ==

Ok I'm sorted now. Thanks for your help

 

[Intercity_225]

The 10:36 London - Harrogate is diverting via Cambridge, so I wouldn't be surprised if more services follow suit

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Aug 2026 ==

Does anyone know what the damage is and specifically where it's happened?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

National Rail website currently reporting (as regards travel with LNER specifically)...

Extract...

LNER customer advice:
You can use your ticket on the following train companies at no extra cost:

• Avanti West Coast between London Euston, Manchester and Glasgow Central/Edinburgh

• TransPennine Express between Manchester, Leeds and York/Newcastle

• Northern between Carlisle and Newcastle

• East Midlands Railway between London St Pancras, Leicester and Sheffield

• CrossCountry between Sheffield, Doncaster/Leeds, York and Newcastle/Edinburgh

• Great Northern and Thameslink between London Kings Cross, Stevenage and Peterborough

• Hull Trains between London Kings Cross and Doncaster

• Grand Central between London Kings Cross and York

Link (lots more info here...)

Incident: Arlesey | National Rail

Major disruption between Peterborough and Stevenage expected until 15:00. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

 

[Roger100]

We were offered Grantham to Nottingham then another train to St Pancras, about 3 hours. But this train, 77 mins late at Durham, is still scheduled to run to London. Everything seems to be stuck at York or Kings Cross so it seems.

 

[aaronspence]

York is filling up, 3 LNER trains and counting waiting for platforms from the North, and more still departing on time heading to the scene of the crime.

 

[Twingo37175]

The 10:36 London - Harrogate is diverting via Cambridge, so I wouldn't be surprised if more services follow suit

Unless I am mistaken, said service has now turned (Royston?) and is heading South again

 

[yorkshirerail]

I’m on a 10 car Meridian at Sheffield that appears to be almost completely full and standing from here

 

[55002]

Looks like 1D11 attempted to go, got as far as Royston but going back toward Stevenage, edit sorry just seen post above

maybe it can proceed direct from Stevenage now?

 

[800001]

LNER tweeted in reply to someone that the likes have partially reopened

London North Eastern Railway (@LNER) on X

@1668Jam Hello James, disruption is expected to go on until the end of the day. In terms of the line re-opening, they have partially been re-opened but we still expect disruption throughout the day as a result. ^Charlene

x.com

disruption is expected to go on until the end of the day. In terms of the line re-opening, they have partially been re-opened but we still expect disruption throughout the day as a result.

 

[Twingo37175]

Looks like 1D11 attempted to go, got as far as Royston but going back toward Stevenage, edit sorry just seen post above

maybe it can proceed direct from Stevenage now?

It now has the signal back northbound so I wonder if work has completed, or allowance for diesel, meaning quicker with where it was to send back south and reverse at Stevenage then carrying on through Cambridge. Looks to be a Southbound grant northern also despatched recently from Peterborough

 

[Magdalia]

Unless I am mistaken, said service has now turned (Royston?) and is heading South again

I picked up 1D11 near Ashwell in both directions on OTT but doubt it got beyond Royston.

There is now also a signalling fault between Cambridge and Ely, with 1T20 1024 Kings Cross-Kings Lynn taking more than an hour to do Cambridge-Ely.

 

[55002]

It now has the signal back northbound so I wonder if work has completed, or allowance for diesel, meaning quicker with where it was to send back south and reverse at Stevenage then carrying on through Cambridge. Looks to be a Southbound grant northern also despatched recently from Peterborough

That southbound great northern is a Peterborough to Sandy shuttle

 

[ricoblade]

I went to Doncaster to go to Sheffield on the 12:11 XC (that was runing to time when I set off an hour before) and it was chaos.

The XC was cancelled die to "congestion" (whatever that is).

Platform 3 was packed with King's Cross passengers who were being advised a) to get on the 12:22 to Sheffield, b) that not all of them would get on (by a long way, it's a 3 car) and c) to go to Platform 5 to get on the later stopper (a 2 car!).

Also, annoincements were saying there were no direct services north via York and passengers should board Leeds services and change.

I bailed.

 

[800001]

LNER 1S15 has departed Kings Cross and is currently passing Biggleswade. Departed 68 Minutes late

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:G80229/2026-08-16/detailed

 

[55002]

LNER 1S15 has departed Kings Cross and is currently passing Biggleswade. Departed 68 Minutes late

Looks like line ok for diesel, 1D11 and 1S15 gone through and 6E50 freight heading south now near the affected area

 

[800001]

Looks like line ok for diesel, 1D11 and 1S15 gone through and 6E50 freight heading south now near the affected area

Lumo 1S95 also departing Kings Cross now. So must be ok for some electrics to pass.

 

[55002]

Lumo 1S95 also departing Kings Cross now. So must be ok for some electrics to pass.

Yep just seen that maybe the other 2 also ran electric

 

[185143]

I’m on a 10 car Meridian at Sheffield that appears to be almost completely full and standing from here

I saw the 11:41 TPE from Doncaster leave well over 100 behind. 6 car too. So I'm not surprised in the slightest!

 

[Segedunum]

Lumo 1S95 also departing Kings Cross now. So must be ok for some electrics to pass.

Both down lines away from London reopened to all traction - diesel only on both up lines towards London.

 

[The Foghorn]

Arlesey is station stops on the up, so express services may "drop and coast" past the damage provided they are back on the juice well before Cambridge junction.

No expert though ....

 

[Roger100]

After queueing at Peterborough for two hours they have put us back on a train.

 

[55002]

After queueing at Peterborough for two hours they have put us back on a train.

Held at Biggleswade now so I assume they waiting to reopen to electrics shortly

 

[Adrian Barr]

I think 6E50 is the first southbound train to pass through the affected area and reach Hitchin.

It's now been reported that the Up Slow has reopened to all traction, with the up fast remaining blocked until repairs can be completed overnight. I don't think the down lines were affected apart from being temporarily blocked to allow an initial inspection.

 

[55002]

I think 6E50 is the first southbound train to pass through the affected area and reach Hitchin.

It's now been reported that the Up Slow has reopened to all traction, with the up fast remaining blocked until repairs can be completed overnight. I don't think the down lines were affected apart from being temporarily blocked to allow an initial inspection.

1A15 currently 4 hours down, been held on the up slow for sometime at Biggleswade, and as I type that off it goes!

 

[LowLevel]

Sheffield Station is in a catastrophic state with the platforms and footbridge full of people and hardly any trains to get them into. Never seen anything like it. I assume the normal diversion from Leeds to Manchester is largely unavailable due to engineering work.

 

[Adrian Barr]

1A15 (09:35 Bradford Forster Square to Kings Cross) now passing Hitchin - I think that's the first electric train to pass the area heading south... over 4 hours late.

1E10 (10:00 Edinburgh - Kings Cross) not far behind.

Hopefully services should now be able to run through the area with minimal delays (apart from the knock-on effects of the earlier disruption)

Minor update at 16:20 - 1E10 and 1Y13 (11:27 Newcastle - Kings Cross) have now passed Hitchin with only a few minutes additional delay between Peterborough and Hitchin.
It looks like services are able to run through the area pretty much as normal (switching from the fast to slow line past the damaged section of overhead line).

 

[Intercity_225]

Everything appears to have stopped just north of Alexandra Palace. Has something else happened?