Disruption to Great Northern and Thameslink services between Stevenage and Alexandra Palace expected until 14:15 

Route(s) affected

between Stevenage and Alexandra Palace

Description

A points failure in the Stevenage area means that fewer trains are able to run on all lines. As a result, trains running between Stevenage and Alexandra Palace may be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.

Disruption is expected until 14:15.

Customer advice:

Trains are unable to run between Stevenage and Hertford North due to a points failure.You will have to use an alternative route to reach your destination.

If you require stations between Bowes Park and Hertford North you can use your usual route.

If you require Stevenage, you will need to travel Northbound via Alexandra Palace and Welwyn Garden City. Please note this will take you at least an extra 30 minutes to reach your destination.

If you require stations between Stevenage and Hertford North, please speak to station staff for guidance.

Please ensure to check before you travel using our online journey planners and live departure boards for the latest information.

Planning your journey:

You can check train departures from your station here:

- Thameslink live departure boards

- Great Northern live departure boards

You can view live maps of our network here:

- Thameslink live route map

- Great Northern live route map

You can also see our alternative route guides here:

- Thameslink alternative route guide

- Great Northern alternative route guide

The Great Northern and Thameslink apps will also help you plan your journey.

Can you tell me more about the incident?

A points failure has been reported, and this is preventing trains from using some of the routes through this area.

Points are moveable sections of track which can send trains onto different routes at junctions. These are part of the signalling system, generally managed by Network Rail.

Points can stop moving correctly for a number of reasons. For example, there may be an obstruction in the moving parts, or the electronic control systems may have developed a fault.

There are various backup systems which allow signallers to try to "set" the points, and in some cases, the points may be available for trains in one of the directions they serve, but not another. However, with more severe failures, the line in question may be blocked entirely.

Network Rail will send their specialist Signalling & Telecoms teams to site, and they will set up a safe method of working on the track. To allow staff to access the railway, sometimes we have to stop trains completely, which can lead to your train being held at stations or signals en route.

As soon as it's safe to go on the line, the staff will diagnose the fault and find any quick solutions to resolve it.

Whilst this is being done, progress will be monitored closely. At times, replacement parts may be needed, or specialist advice from suppliers, which is why some points failures take longer to resolve than others.

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.