London Overground, part of the London Underground network, faces challenges on Tuesday following an issue with the electric third rail near Stratford Station in the east of the capital
Commuters face chaos throughout the day as services on part of the London Underground network have been cancelled and delayed.
Services to and from Stratford, east London, have been affected by an issue with a live rail that provides electric power to trains. It has caused problems with signalling along the London Overground line and so, until the fault is rectified, all trains are likely to be delayed or scrapped in both directions between Stratford and Willesden Junction, and Stratford and Gospel Oak.
The busiest station on the London Underground network outside London fare zone 1, Stratford sees commuters arrive from Essex and parts of the East of England, and change for London Underground services across the capital. These passengers should leave with extra time to accommodate for waits at Stratford, authorities say.
The National Rail says: “There is an issue with the electric third rail in the Camden Road area. This is causing issues with the signalling equipment in the area, and has also resulted in a passenger train developing a fault. Until the issue is rectified, services running to / from Stratford may be cancelled, delayed by up to 30 minutes or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the service.”
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However, tickets can be used at no extra cost on London buses via any reasonable route in order to complete journeys throughout the day. Several leave and stop at Stratford as part of their routes.
“You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim,” the National Rail continues.
More than 189 million journeys are taken on the Overground Line each year. There are some 113 stations, including Clapham Junction, Richmond and Hackney Central, along the six branches of the London Overground line.
Electric third rails, including the one at Camden Road in the north of the capital, send power to train through conductors placed alongside the tracks. When faults occur with these, trains cannot receive the power they need to make their journeys. These occurrences, though, are rare, the National Rail says.
The Network Rail website reads: “The conductor rail system is a very simple but capable system supporting the requirements of the train service. A high percentage of the Southern network is already electrified. So it can be more cost efficient to extend this system, rather than install other electrification systems. Electrification is a way of decarbonising the railway service. This is done by replacing diesel trains with electric trains.”
