Lines reopened: major disruption between Bolton and Preston expected until 17:30 

Route(s) affected

Avanti West Coast between London Euston and Glasgow Central

Northern between Manchester Airport and Blackpool North / Barrow-in-Furness / Millom / Windermere / Corkickle

TransPennine Express between Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central / Edinburgh

Description

The emergency services have completed their work following an earlier incident. This has allowed all lines between Bolton and Preston to reopen. Whilst service recovers, trains may still be severely delayed by up to 60 minutes, revised or cancelled.

Major disruption is expected until 17:30.

Please note, Avanti West Coast services are diverting via Bolton due to engineering works taking place between Warrington Bank Quay and Wigan North Western.

A visual disruption map video is available.

Avanti West Coast customer advice:

You may use your ticket at on the following services at no extra cost:

• LNER services between London Kings Cross and Leeds / Edinburgh

• Northern between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly

• ScotRail between Glasgow Central and Edinburgh

• TransPennine Express between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly, and also between Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds

If your train is cancelled, your ticket is valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before your booked train, or one of the two immediately after.

If you no longer wish to travel because your train is delayed or cancelled, you can request a full refund from where you bought your ticket.

Rail replacement transport is in operation between Crewe and Preston.

Northern customer advice:

How does this affect my journey?

Train services are unable to run between Bolton and Preston (in both directions).

Northern services between Manchester Victoria and Blackburn are not affected by this disruption.

What should I do?

You can travel on the next Northern service to your destination, where available.

You can also travel on Transport for Greater Manchester services on routes 8, V1, V2, 100, 607, 608, 609, 35, 132, 615, 575, 576 and 516 at no extra cost.

You can also travel on Avanti West Coast and TransPennine Express services at no extra cost between Preston and Oxenholme Lake District until further notice.

You can travel on Manchester Metrolink Bee Network services at no extra cost between Manchester Airport and Manchester City Centre stations until 18:00.

Please note that other train operators may also be affected by disruption – please check your whole journey before travelling.

Northern train ticket restrictions have been lifted in the affected areas, including Advance restrictions, during this disruption. Restrictions will be reinstated once the disruption ends.

Road transport

To assist customers to complete their journey, road replacement transport will be provided as follows:

Coaches will depart Preston calling at Leyland, Buckshaw Parkway, Chorley, Adlington, Blackrod, Horwich Parkway and Lostock to Bolton at 15:10 and 16:30 (operated by S Line and Solomon Travel).

Coaches will depart Bolton calling at Lostock, Horwich Parkway, Blackrod, Adlington, Chorley, Buckshaw Parkway and Leyland to Preston at 15:10 and 16:15 (operated by Ocean Travel and Atlantic Travel).

A coach will depart Oxenholme calling at Kendal and Windermere at 16:40, 17:50 and 18:30 (operated by Travellers Choice).

A bus will depart Oxenholme calling at Kendal, Burneside, Staveley and Windermere at 16:40, 17:50 and 18:30 (operated by RSZ Travel).

A coach will depart Windermere calling at Kendal and Oxenholme at 17:00, 17:30 and 18:40 (operated by Travellers Choice).

A 16 seater bus will depart Windermere calling at Staveley, Burneside, Kendal and Oxenholme at 17:00, 17:30, 18:40 (operated by RSZ Travel).

Journey times will be extended by up to 60 minutes when using road replacement transport.

TransPennine Express customer advice:

You may use your ticket at no extra cost on the following services in both directions:

• Metrolink services between Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly / Manchester Victoria

• Alternative Northern or TransPennine Express services between Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly

• Avanti West Coast services between Preston and Glasgow Central / Edinburgh

• Northern services between Manchester Victoria and Preston via Blackburn

Please be aware that the other operators’ services are also likely to be busy.

Please allow extra time for your journey and check before you travel.

If you need to travel between the main stations in Manchester city centre, there are several alternative options available:

• Bee Network Free Bus – this free service runs every 10 minutes, with stops conveniently located on the station approach at both Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria

• Metrolink Tram – regular tram services operate between Manchester Victoria and Manchester Piccadilly

Customers can also travel on the whole Bee Network Bus network across the greater Manchester area.

Rail replacement transport has been requested as follows:

• Manchester Piccadilly to Preston at XX:30, calling at Manchester Oxford Road and Bolton. The first two coaches are estimated to be at Manchester Piccadilly from 16:00.

• Preston to Manchester Piccadilly at XX:00, calling at Bolton and Manchester Oxford Road. The first coach is estimated to be at Preston from 16:00.

Customers can also travel on Avanti West Coast and Northern rail replacement bus services between Crewe / Bolton and Preston.

Further updates to follow regarding the estimated arrival time of the first replacement transport services.

Journey times may be extended by 90 minutes whilst travelling by rail replacement transport.

Check before you travel:

You can check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.

For helpful advice if you need to travel on a rail replacement service, including accessibility and bicycle information, please use our Rail Replacement Services page.

You can find the pick-up and drop-off location of rail replacement services by checking station signage or by searching for your station on our Find a Station page.

Please be advised that replacement vehicles may be busier than usual, and you should allow extra time for your journey.

Compensation:

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.