The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema & Tv
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
      • Shows
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

Lightning causes London commuter chaos

Lightning causes London commuter chaos
20 April 2012
Sophie Mihell-Hale
Avatar
Sophie Mihell-Hale
20 April 2012

Always crowded and hectic, Thursday evening’s rush hour in London was more of a hassle following a lightning strike that caused extensive signal problems in the area. At around 5:30pm, just as the bulk of commuters were leaving work, lightning struck an electrical substation in the Wandsworth area, starting a fire and causing substantial damage which led to a power failure and severe signalling problems.

Wandsworth is close to Britain’s busiest railway station, Clapham Junction, and the route for most trains travelling south out of the capital from Victoria and Waterloo, so any problems were going to have severe repercussions. 

Victoria Station was affected the most with all services being cancelled, whilst South West Train’s services to and from Waterloo were severely delayed. Short notice alterations and vague announcements led to a chaotic atmosphere in the two London terminals, as well as at stations down the line. Given little specific information, tired commuters were left feeling increasingly frustrated. Some commuters found themselves stranded for up to four hours on train journeys that would usually take only 25 minutes.

Southeastern trains suffered the brunt of the signal failure trouble, with passengers for these services eventually transported on a variety of alternate routes to Sussex and Kent. Commuters on South West Trains found themselves waiting for up to 40 minutes and Southern Railway was also affected between Battersea Park and London Bridge. 

Trains were delayed late into the night as Network Rail attempted to fix the affected signalling equipment. The damage is extensive enough that, although the problem is reported to have been fixed, delays and service alterations may continue into today, potentially affecting Friday’s train services.

Sophie Mihell-Hale

Related Items

More in Uncategorised

I’m Your Man (Ich bin dein Mensch): An interview with stars Dan Stevens and Maren Eggert

Oliver Johnston
Read More

I’m Your Man: An interview with Maria Schrader and Jan Schomburg

Oliver Johnston
Read More

The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne)

★★★★★
Emma Kiely
Read More

Moxie

★★★★★
Emma Kiely
Read More

Tina

Oliver Johnston
Read More

Mr Bachmann and His Class (Herr Bachmann und Seine Klasse)

★★★★★
Oliver Johnston
Read More

Souad

★★★★★
Samuel Nicholls
Read More

Natural Light (Természetes fény)

★★★★★
Sean Gallen
Read More

Tides

★★★★★
Oliver Johnston
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap
  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Creation Stories
    ★★★★★
    Film festivals
  • Detroit Stories – Alice Cooper
    ★★★★★
    Album review
  • Judas and the Black Messiah
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Gatsby at Cadogan Hall: An interview with Jodie Steele and Ross William Wild
    Theatre
  • Laura Mvula – Under a Pink Moon
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • I’m Your Man (Ich bin dein Mensch): An interview with stars Dan Stevens and Maren Eggert
    Berlinale
  • I’m Your Man: An interview with Maria Schrader and Jan Schomburg
    Berlinale
  • The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Moxie
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Tina
    Berlinale
  • Moxie
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Souad
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • We (Nous)
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Bicep at Saatchi Gallery Online
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Winter Lake
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

fiN at Bush Hall in pictures
Is this the way to beat Barcelona? After Chelsea’s victory, we further analyse how to stop one of football’s greatest ever teams