Cable damage causes delays to Cambridge rail services

Damage to an overhead power cable caused severe disruption to rail services to and from Cambridge

Rail passengers have had their journeys disrupted for much of the day after an overhead power cable was damaged at Cambridge.

Cables have now been repaired and the disruption has ended, National Rail Enquiries said.

Thameslink had advised people to delay travel from Cambridge to London as journey times were increased by about two hours.

The power cable came down on Tuesday, leaving passengers stranded on trains.

British Transport Police said it assisted Network Rail in "evacuating passengers from several stranded trains", working with operators Great Northern, CrossCountry and Greater Anglia.

British Transport Police helped passengers off a train stranded at Cambridge

Greater Anglia said on Wednesday the line had been blocked between Bishop's Stortford and Cambridge.

Network Rail repaired the damaged electrical cables and Greater Anglia apologised for the delay and inconvenience to passengers.

Other services affected included cancelled trains between Cambridge and London Stansted Airport.

No Thameslink trains were running between Cambridge and Royston, with a significantly reduced service between Foxton, Royston and London, until at least 13:00 BST, the operator said.

An hourly train shuttle was offered between Cambridge North and King's Lynn, the rail firm added.

A landslip at Leagrave near Luton prevented trains running on two of four lines

Meanwhile, East Midlands Railway said train services had resumed between Luton and Bedford following a landslip at the side of the tracks, but delays were expected due to speed restrictions.

The landslip at Leagrave, near Luton, had closed two of four lines and a team was assessing the damage to the embankment.