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Lineside fire near Whittlesea (26/07/2026)

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Intercity_225

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Welp, we knew this would happen. A fire has broken out in a field nearby to the railway line near Whittlesea, seems to have broken out at about 5pm today. NR says no trains to run for the rest of the day, however 1M80 (15:54 Norwich - Manchester Piccadilly) managed to get through. Does anyone know any more information on what happened, I'm guessing it's a wildfire?

The NR page says this:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/whittlesea-20260726/

Route(s) affected​

CrossCountry between Cambridge / Stansted Airport

East Midlands Railway between Liverpool Lime Street / Manchester Piccadilly / Derby / Nottingham and Norwich

Description​

There has been a fire near to the railway between Peterborough and Whittlesea meaning that all lines are blocked.

As a result, services between Peterborough and Ely will be cancelled or revised.

This is expected until the end of the day.

Additional information:​

Emergency services are on site. The fire is now out, however fire services remain on site assessing extent of the damage caused by the fire.

CrossCountry customer advice:​

Your ticket can be used at no extra cost on the following alternatives:

Routes via London

  • Avanti West Coast services between Birmingham New Street / Nuneaton and London Euston
  • East Midlands Railway services between Leicester and London St Pancras International
  • Great Northern services between Ely and London Kings Cross
  • Greater Anglia services between Ely and Stansted Airport
  • London Northwestern Railway services between Birmingham New Street / Nuneaton and London Euston
  • LNER services between Peterborough and London Kings Cross
  • Thameslink services between Peterborough and London St Pancras International
  • London Underground services between London Terminals: Euston, St Pancras, Kings Cross and or Liverpool Street (please show your ticket to gate line staff to be allowed through the ticket gates)


Routes avoiding London

  • East Midlands Railway services between Leicester and Nottingham - Nottingham and Ely (Trains on this route may be also affected by this disruption)
  • Greater Anglia services between Cambridge and Stansted Airport, changing at Bishops Stortford
  • Thameslink services between Peterborough and Hitchin
  • Thameslink / Great Northern services between Hitchin and Cambridge


Road transport:

Buses have been requested to operate between Peterborough and Stansted Airport / Cambridge until further notice.

All road transport will call at March, Ely and Cambridge / Stansted Airport

Please speak to a member of station staff or listen for station announcement on where to locate the road transport.

East Midlands Railway customer advice:​

If you have a ticket dated for travel today, Sunday 26 July and decide not to travel you may use your ticket to travel tomorrow, Monday 27 July.

Services are likely to experience extended delays or alterations. You should use alternative routes which will be most comfortable and the quickest way to get where you need to be. Your ticket can be used at no extra cost to travel via the following alternative routes:

Nottingham – Norwich

You may travel may travel on East Midlands Railway services to London St Pancras International then use Greater Anglia services from London Liverpool Street to Norwich. It is likely to take between 2 and 3 hours longer to complete this journey.

Norwich – Peterborough – Ely

You may travel on Greater Anglia services between Norwich and Ely.

Travelling to Ely, Peterborough and Norwich?

You may travel from Liverpool Lime Street / Manchester to Leeds using TransPennine Express services and change here for LNER services to Peterborough. You may also travel via Birmingham to Ely using West Midlands Railway and CrossCountry services. This route is likely to extend your journey time by up to 1 hour.

If you are travelling further east, you may use Greater Anglia trains from Peterborough to travel between Ely and Norwich.

You can also use Thameslink / Great Northern services between Peterborough, Hitchin, Stevenage, Cambridge and Ely.

All these alternative route options are available in the opposite direction too. Don’t worry about your ticket, other train operators know about the disruption to your journey and your ticket can be used at no extra cost on their trains.

If you need to start your outward journey from a different operator's station due to this disruption, then you will also be able to travel back to that station when you return, regardless of if the disruption has ended or your ticket type. You will be welcomed aboard you on board with your original ticket.

As it is late in the day the number of connecting trains are limited. If you have already started your journey, East Midlands Railway will make every effort to get you to your destination by rail. If not, they will make alternative arrangements for you. Please speak to a member of their team if you are concerned about your connecting journey.

Further information:

To assist with your journey, you can view specific train service alterations.
Click to expand...
A picture here:
fire.jpg

(A picture of the fire on the Anglia Gen group on Facebook.)
 
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DR18037

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It was a field near to Ramsey Road crossing. The crossing in question is the 2nd of 3 in short succession after the station road itself. Caused a road closure as the crossing wouldn't lift from what Cambs Fire said. As of 21:42 a NOGO still remains at the transition from Peterborough panel to Kings Dyke box.

9/10 field fires are a spark in dry brush, 3rd bush fire we've had in 2 days in the March - Peterborough area
 
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Intercity_225

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DR18037 said:
It was a field near to Ramsey Road crossing. The crossing in question is the 2nd of 3 in short succession after the station road itself. Caused a road closure as the crossing wouldn't lift from what Cambs Fire said. As of 21:42 a NOGO still remains at the transition from Peterborough panel to Kings Dyke box.

9/10 field fires are a spark in dry brush, 3rd bush fire we've had in 2 days in the March - Peterborough area
Click to expand...
This is possibly the driest I've seen this area since I've been here. It's not surprising at all that this has happened.
 
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Owen Morris

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Started in the adjacent barley field and then spread very quickly to the railway embankment and has completely torched the signalling cables. The damage is reportedly significant so won't be a quick fix and they haven't been able to start yet because they're still trying to dampen the area to stop it re-igniting.
 
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DR18037

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Intercity_225 said:
This is possibly the driest I've seen this area since I've been here. It's not surprising at all that this has happened.
Click to expand...
Other than the brief shower last night we've no rain in atleast a month, and with about 10-15 days of 'heatwave' in that dry 30 its very very dry. The Fen Line has issues with soil moisture causing track defects, I think we're not far off it here I've had a rough ride or two between March and Whittlesea
 
NSEWonderer

NSEWonderer

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Off topic but SWR land has had a fire near Barnes and Ascot in the same week aswell as a fire near Charlton on the southeastern network. The rain is very much welcomed.
 
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Magdalia

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DR18037 said:
Other than the brief shower last night we've no rain in atleast a month, and with about 10-15 days of 'heatwave' in that dry 30 its very very dry. The Fen Line has issues with soil moisture causing track defects, I think we're not far off it here I've had a rough ride or two between March and Whittlesea
Click to expand...
We also had a brief shower here overnight. It was the first rain since 22 June.
 
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Bald Rick

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Owen Morris said:
The damage is reportedly significant so won't be a quick fix and they haven't been able to start yet because they're still trying to dampen the area to stop it re-igniting.
Click to expand...

Will be back open in the morning.
 
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DR18037

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Bald Rick said:
They have done, last week.
Click to expand...
Ah I see, thank you, I didn't get them on my weekly roundup and I've not been on the railway in a few weeks.


Also just looking at XC diagrams on the Cambridge end. Early morning 1N40 will be atleast a service cancelled and atleast 2 short-forms because unless theres any spares this end theres only 1x3 and 2x2 170s this end of the closure.
 
Andy Pacer

Andy Pacer

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DR18037 said:
Ah I see, thank you, I didn't get them on my weekly roundup and I've not been on the railway in a few weeks.


Also just looking at XC diagrams on the Cambridge end. Early morning 1N40 will be atleast a service cancelled and atleast 2 short-forms because unless theres any spares this end theres only 1x3 and 2x2 170s this end of the closure.
Click to expand...
1N40 running as a 2 car.
 
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LowLevel

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Bald Rick said:
They have done, last week.
Click to expand...
Not before a passenger on an EMR 170 fell and ended up being removed by ambulance with suspected broken ribs, unfortunately.

It's been horrific over there for ages despite many reports of rough riding, I suspect if examining engineers rode in the rear cabs of the trains rather than the front they might be unpleasantly surprised, I know drivers usually are. There's also the benefit that when you find a kick you can see it moving back away from you rather than having it disappear under the train.
 
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berwicksfinest

berwicksfinest

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45Fox said:
Always been rough over there. On the down road at 60 mph class 56s and 58s used to almost 'bottom out' near Eastrea AHB, you knew to expect it and hung on.
Click to expand...

My record for a Class 56 was 3 bottoms out over Ramsey Road !!

Actually between Whittlesea and Eastrea currently better than Alton Towers!!
 
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saismee

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I hear the track between Peterborough and Ely feels dangerously bad though I haven't personally travelled over that section. The constant freight certainly doesn't help the wear and tear.
 
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Intercity_225

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The worst bump I've noticed is on the down (I think?) line at Whitemoor Road AHB. I've been stood on a rammed 170 before and almost fell over from the bump. Not a surprise that an incident of that kind has happened.
 
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IanMac

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Off-topic I know, but highways in the vicinity are also prone to subsidence incidents, notably the Whittlesey to Ramsey road (B1040) especially just south of the LC.
 
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Steve Harris

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Intercity_225 said:
Welp, we knew this would happen. A fire has broken out in a field nearby to the railway line near Whittlesea, seems to have broken out at about 5pm today. NR says no trains to run for the rest of the day, however 1M80 (15:54 Norwich - Manchester Piccadilly) managed to get through. Does anyone know any more information on what happened, I'm guessing it's a wildfire?

The NR page says this:
https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/whittlesea-20260726/

A picture here:
View attachment 208322

(A picture of the fire on the Anglia Gen group on Facebook.)
Click to expand...
Cambs police are treating it as arson:

https://www.cambsfire.gov.uk/news-and-incidents/incidents/2026-07-26-field-fire-whittlesey
Cambridgeshire Constabulary has said there have been no arrests, a crime of arson has been raised and an investigation is on-going. "
Click to expand...
 
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Intercity_225

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Dr Hoo said:
Makes one wonder how @Intercity_225 ”knew it was going to happen”. I’m sure that the authorities will welcome their assistance.
Click to expand...
Are you accusing me of committing a crime? I just presumed that it was wildfire related, considering the ridiculously hot and dry weather we have been having over the past few weeks. I even said that I was presuming it was a wildfire in the post..
 
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Dr Hoo

Dr Hoo

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Intercity_225 said:
Are you accusing me of committing a crime? I just presumed that it was wildfire related, considering the ridiculously hot and dry weather we have been having over the past few weeks. I even said that I was presuming it was a wildfire in the post..
Click to expand...
I merely supposed that you’d heard someone chatting in the pub about going to Whittlesea with some mates, a disposable barbecue and a few cans (or similar).
 
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