Waterloo disruption updates – live: Signal failure fixed but rush hour commuters still warned to stay away

Commuters told disruption will continue ‘for rest of day’

London Waterloo station: Passengers told 'do not travel' after massive signal failure

A signal failure which threw Britain’s busiest railway station into turmoil has been fixed but evening rush hour is still set for major disruption.

Commuters have been urged to stay away from London’s Waterloo station this evening, as only one or two trains an hour will run on busy routes.

Mark Killick, route director for Network Rail Wessex, said: “We found a 600 metre cable which had a defect in it. The good news is, that we have managed to make temporary changes to reinstate the signalling system.

“We’re working closely with South Western Railway to re-introduce train services, but we are advising customers there will be disruption for the rest of the day.”

The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder was at the station on Thursday morning and reports that ticket acceptance is in place which allows South Western Railway passengers to use Southern, CrossCountry and GWR trains to make journeys by reasonable routes, with tickets also valid on London Underground trains where appropriate.

Travellers will be able to claim full refunds if they are unable to travel, and season ticket holders will get money back for the day.

Key Points

• Evening rush hour still set for chaos, says Network Rail
• ‘Major signalling fault’ brings Waterloo trains to a halt

[13 April 2023 10:31 · Andy Gregory]

Refunds, re-routing and re-timing

Any passenger with a pre-purchased ticket who is unable to travel to, from or via London Waterloo because of the signal failure can obtain a full refund.

Alternatively, says South Western Railway: “If you have a ticket dated 13 April 2023 and are unable to travel today, you are welcome to use your ticket on services on Friday 14 April.”

Season ticket holders will get money back for the day if they are unable to travel.

Ticket acceptance is in place that allows South Western Railway passengers to use Southern, CrossCountry and GWR trains to make journeys by reasonable routes, with tickets also valid on London Underground trains where appropriate.

[13 April 2023 11:26 · Matt Mathers]

Train departs from Waterloo to Basingstoke

Trains are arriving at and departing from London Waterloo every five or 10 minutes from the platforms that are unaffected by the major signalling failure, Simon Calder reports.

The first train of the day from Waterloo to Basingstoke left platform 15 at 10.12am.

Passengers will be able to change at the Hampshire station for trains to Southampton and Bournemouth.

According to observations from The Independent, roughly one train every 90 minutes is departing on the main line route.

Not everyone is having a tough journey, though. A family of four from the South Coast reported “every train on time” after a trip from Sussex via Clapham Junction.

And there it goes...

(Simon Calder)

[13 April 2023 12:04 · Matt Mathers]

South Western Railway service drastically reduced – ‘we do not have a time for normal services to resume’

Simon Calder, our travel correspondent, has more on the disruption at Waterloo station:

The disruption caused by a signal failure at London Waterloo is expected to continue all day.

South Western Railway says: “We are advising customers not to attempt to travel.”

The train operator has set out the sharply reduced service running on “a very limited number of lines”.

Two trains an hour will run from London Waterloo to:

• Reading
• Windsor & Eton Riverside
• Weybridge via Staines
• Shepperton via Richmond

There are also two services per hour between Ascot and Aldershot and between Farnham and Guildford.

“If you have a ticket for a South Western Railway service dated today, you are welcome to use your ticket on services on Friday 14 April,” says the train operator.

“Disruption will affect other services on the wider network so please check before you travel.”

“Engineers are working to restore signalling.”

But South Western Railway emphasised: “We do not have a time for normal services to resume.”

(Simon Calder)

[13 April 2023 14:04 · Liam James]

Update: Which trains are still running from Waterloo?

Here’s the latest from National Rail on services running to and from Waterloo.

Little has changed from earlier besides trains now stopping at Queenstown Road.

• 2 services per hour between Reading and London Waterloo
• 2 services per hour between Windsor & Eton Riverside and London Waterloo
• 2 services per hour between Weybridge and London Waterloo via Staines
• 2 services per hour between Shepperton and London Waterloo via Richmond
• 2 services per hour between Ascot and Aldershot
• 2 services per hour between Farnham and Guildford
• 1 service per hour between Portsmouth and Southampton
• 1 service per hour between Salisbury and Romsey via Southampton Central
• 2 services per hour between Brockenhurst and Lymington Pier
• 1 train per hour between Exeter St Davids and Wimbledon
• West of England Shuttles between Basingstoke and Salisbury will run as booked

[13 April 2023 15:09 · Liam James]

Evening rush hour will be disrupted, says Network Rail

Disruption for people travelling in and out of Waterloo is expected to continue into this evening’s rush hour, said Network Rail.

Mark Killick, route director for Network Rail Wessex, said: “We found a 600 metre cable which had a defect in it.

“The good news is, that we have managed to make temporary changes to reinstate the signalling system.

“We’re working closely with South Western Railway to re-introduce train services, but we are advising customers there will be disruption for the rest of the day.”

He said there would be more trains running than in the morning but passengers are still urged not to travel.

[13 April 2023 19:18 · Sam Rkaina]

We’re pausing our live coverage of disruption at Waterloo but keep checking independent.co.uk for the latest news.