Major disruption between London St Pancras International and London Blackfriars expected until the end of the day 

Route(s) affected

Trains between Bedford and Three Bridges / Brighton, and between Cambridge and Brighton, and between Peterborough and Horsham, and between Luton and Rainham (Kent), and also between St Albans City and Sutton

Description

A fault with the signalling system between City Thameslink and London Blackfriars means that fewer trains are able to run on the line towards London Blackfriars.

As a result, trains between London St Pancras International and London Blackfriars may be delayed by up to 60 minutes, cancelled or revised.

Major disruption is expected until the end of the day.

A visual disruption map video is now available.

Customer advice:

There is a heavily reduced service running between Bedford and London St Pancras International this evening. You may have to wait longer for a train, and the trains that do run will be extremely busy. If you can travel later it is advised you do so. Please check station screens and journey planners for the latest information.

Service changes and alternative journey options:

Thameslink are currently running to the following service plan. Where alternatives are mentioned, your Thameslink ticket will be accepted at no extra cost. There is a summarised list of ticket acceptance further down this message.

Please leave at least 60 minutes of extra time if you need to use an alternative route. This is not an exact estimate, and will depend on where you are travelling.

Trains between Bedford and Three Bridges via Redhill will be suspended

• Alternative Thameslink services will run between Bedford and Brighton, with delays - however, these trains do not stop at stations between East Croydon and Gatwick Airport via Redhill

• East Midlands Railway services between Bedford, Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras International

• London Underground services will provide connections across London

• Southern services on the route between London Victoria and Reigate will run, providing a service between East Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham and Redhill

• London Buses will also accept tickets between Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham and Redhill - if you use the bus, please tell the driver the reference number "PrePay 982"

• Most Thameslink services between Peterborough and Horsham will still run, and wherever possible, will stop additionally at Earlswood and Salfords, where they do not already do so

• Great Western Railway services run between Redhill and Gatwick Airport (non-stop)

There will be a reduced service between St Albans and Sutton. The service that would usually run via Mitcham Junction is suspended. The service that runs via Wimbledon will operate as normal.

• Southern services will provide and alternative route between Streatham and Sutton, via Mitcham Junction

• London Trams services between Wimbledon and Croydon will provide an option to connect via East Croydon

• London Buses between London Blackfriars and Sutton will provide alternative route options

Trains between Luton and Rainham will only run as a limited shuttle service between Gravesend and Rainham.

Alternative Thameslink services will run between Luton and the Central London area will still run, with delays

• London Underground services will provide connections across London

• Docklands Light Railway services will provide a route between Central London and Greenwich or the Woolwich area

• Elizabeth line services will provide a route between Farringdon and Abbey Wood

• London Buses will serve stations between Central London and Dartford - if you use the bus, please tell the driver the reference number "PrePay 980"

• Southeastern will provide services between Central London, Dartford, Gravesend and the Medway Towns, including Rainham - you can use these, except High Speed services between London St Pancras International and Gravesend

Ticket acceptance

Your ticket will be accepted on the following, at no extra cost:

North of London

• Alternative Great Northern and Thameslink services

• East Midlands Railway trains between Bedford and London St Pancras International

• London Buses between Elstree and Central London - please tell the driver the reference number "PrePay 981"

• London Underground via any reasonable route

Across London

• Elizabeth line services between Farringdon and Abbey Wood

• Docklands Light Railway services between Central London and Greenwich or the Woolwich area

• London Underground via any reasonable route

South of London

• Alternative Thameslink services

• London Underground via any reasonable route

• Southern services on the routes between:

  • London Victoria and Reigate, and East Grinstead

  • London Bridge, Oxted and East Croydon

  • between Streatham and Sutton, via Mitcham Junction

• London Buses between London Blackfriars and Sutton, and between Croydon, Coulsdon South, Merstham and Redhill, and between Central London and Dartford

• Great Western Railway services between Redhill and Gatwick Airport (non-stop)

• Southeastern trains between Central London and Orpington / Sevenoaks, and between Central London, Dartford, Gravesend and the Medway Towns (except High Speed services)

• London Trams services between Wimbledon and Croydon will provide an option to connect to other services at East Croydon

• Docklands Light Railway services will provide a route between Central London and Greenwich or the Woolwich area

• Elizabeth line services will provide a route between Farringdon and Abbey Wood

• Metrobus on routes:

  • 3 between Gatwick Airport, Three Bridges, and Crawley

  • 10 between Gatwick Airport and Crawley

  • 20 between Horley, Gatwick and Three Bridges

  • 100 between Redhill, Earlswood (Surrey), Salfords (Town), Horley (Town), Gatwick Airport, and Three Bridges

  • 200 between Gatwick Airport, Ifield, Faygate, Littlehaven, Horsham

Planning your journey:

Please continue to check journey planners, and when you are travelling, please listen to announcements and check station screens.

You can see the live departure boards, and view a live map of the network.

You can also view an alternative route guide.

If you're travelling in the London area, you can plan journeys on alternative routes by using the TfL Journey Planner.

You can use the Thameslink app to find up-to-date information.

Can you tell me more about the incident?

Thameslink have been working with Network Rail to assess and deal with a reoccurring signalling fault on the southbound line near City Thameslink.

Response staff will continue investigations as much as possible during the day. However, there is a limit to the work which can be carried out whilst trains are running. This is because staff need to gain access to the track, and this would cause further disruption to services.

Check before you travel:

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

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.