Thames Valley infrastructure problems causing disruption elsewhere - 2026

[whole diary]

[TaplowGreen]

Second of the day..................

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to a fault with the signalling system at West Ealing fewer trains are able to run on some lines. Disruption is expected until 18:15 09/06.

Train services between Reading and London Paddington may be cancelled or delayed.

Customer Advice

Due to a fault with the signal system in the West Ealing area, we are amending our train service between Reading and London Paddington this afternoon.

[TaplowGreen]

......another week begins.....

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires between London Paddington and Reading the line towards London Paddington bound local stopping is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until 13:00 15/06.

[grahame]

......another week begins.....

Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Reading

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires between London Paddington and Reading the line towards London Paddington bound local stopping is closed.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until 13:00 15/06.

At 06:03 (that's the update time) JourneyCheck is telling us

Due to some damage to the overhead wires in the Southall / Ealing area one of the lines has had to be closed. As a result, fewer trains are able to operate over the section of line between London Paddington and Reading.

Trains will still operate between those points but to a reduced frequency so they will be much busier than normal. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience this may cause to your journey today.

Train services between London Paddington / Reading / Swindon and Bristol Parkway / Newport / Cardiff Central will operate to a reduced frequency.

Train services between London Paddington - Reading - Oxford will operate to a reduced frequency. Those services which operate to / from Worcester stations via Oxford will continue to do so. Customers at Oxford requiring London where there is no immediate service may utilise Chiltern Railways services at no additional cost between Oxford and London Marylebone and London Underground services Marylebone to Paddington. Similarly, customers in London wishing to travel to Oxford may utilise Chiltern railways services, at no additional cost, between London Marylebone and Oxford. In addition, GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) ticket holders may utilise CrossCountry services, at no additional cost, between Reading and Oxford (in both directions) in order to assist with their journeys.

Train services which normally operate between Didcot Parkway and London Paddington (calling at local stations via Pangbourne) will only operate between Didcot Parkway and Reading in both directions. Passengers to or from stations to London Paddington will be required to change trains at Reading.

Train services which normally operate between Newbury and London Paddington (calling at local stations via Thatcham) will only operate between Newbury and Reading in both directions. Passengers to or from stations to London Paddington will be required to change trains at Reading.

In addition to the reduced Great Western Railway service operating between Reading and London Paddington customers may use, at no additional cost, Elizabeth line services between Reading and London Paddington but kindly note that these services will also be operating to a reduced frequency and likely to very busy. Kindly note that at Paddington the Elizabeth line services call at platforms A and B which may be accessed via the entrances alongside platform 1 of the main terminal station. Great Western Railway ticket holders may also utilise, at no additional cost, South Western Railway services between Reading and Waterloo (in both directions) and London Underground services across London between Waterloo and Paddington.

Good information - and everyone can travel if a bit delayed, congested, and perhaps with an extra change ...  What a pity that this feels so routine!   

[TaplowGreen]

Blimey what was it? An albatross?

Delays to services between Newbury and Bedwyn

Following a broken down train earlier today at Kintbury all lines towards Taunton have now reopened. Disruption is expected until 16:15 15/06.

Train services between Newbury and Bedwyn are returning to normal.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
A train had broken down near Kintbury, after striking a bird.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Blimey what was it? An albatross?
...
A train had broken down near Kintbury, after striking a bird.

To be fair, geese can take down an aircraft: see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Airways_Flight_1549

[Electric train]

Blimey what was it? An albatross?

Delays to services between Newbury and Bedwyn

Following a broken down train earlier today at Kintbury all lines towards Taunton have now reopened. Disruption is expected until 16:15 15/06.

Train services between Newbury and Bedwyn are returning to normal.
Customer Advice
-
What has happened?
-
A train had broken down near Kintbury, after striking a bird.

Birds have always been an issue with overhead line electrification.   The first generation (Mk1) used on the WCML^▸ (West Coast Main Line) and GE had places that allowed birds to build nest, the dropping caused corrosion also the blighters shorted the system.

Large birds such as swans and geese will occasionally fly into the OLE^▸ (Overhead Line Equipment, more often "OHLE") insulators etc, they are also know to fly into pantographs even on moving trains which causes a short usually with a big bang, a dead bird and lots of singed feathers. 

[TaplowGreen]

At Didcot apparently.......feels almost inevitable doesn't it?

Cancellations to services between Reading and Swindon

Due to a fault with the signalling system between Reading and Swindon all lines are blocked.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled, delayed or diverted between Reading and Bath Spa. Didcot Parkway, Swindon and Chippenham will not be served. Disruption is expected until 17:30 19/06.

[TaplowGreen]

Delays to services at London Paddington

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires at London Paddington trains have to run at reduced speed on the line.

Train services running to and from this station may be delayed. Disruption is expected until 10:00 21/06.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Slough and London Paddington

Due to damage to the overhead electric wires between Slough and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on some lines.

Train services running to and from these stations may be cancelled or delayed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

[NickB]

Looks like all Paddington to Didcot services have been proactively cancelled today.

[IndustryInsider]

Looks like all Paddington to Didcot services have been proactively cancelled today.

Yes, KRS^▸ (Key Route Strategy) (Key Route Strategy) measures will be in place all week to try and minimise the risk of S&C^▸ (Settle and Carlisle - a local rail line, or Switch and Crossings - a railway signalling term, depending on context) failures.

[eightonedee]

Looks like all Paddington to Didcot services have been proactively cancelled today.

Actually - No!

What has happened is that the "usual" fallback of either terminating the stopping trains from Didcot at Reading or running then non-stop between Reading and Paddington is being implemented. I assume this reduces the potential for problems when the trains might otherwise have to switch from the main to the relief lines after Slough (and before Slough on the way back).

This has been clearly explained on Journey Check.

[TaplowGreen]

Cancellations to services between Reading and London Paddington

Due to severe weather between Reading and London Paddington fewer trains are able to run on all lines.

Train services running to and from these stations will be cancelled or revised. Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford will not be served. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on 25/06/26.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Yes, KRS^▸ (Key Route Strategy) (Key Route Strategy) measures will be in place all week to try and minimise the risk of S&C^▸ (Settle and Carlisle - a local rail line, or Switch and Crossings - a railway signalling term, depending on context) failures.

With thanks for your post, IndustryInsider, I have now added KRS to our 'abbreviations and acronyms' page. 

[TaplowGreen]

GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) relying on TfL^» (Transport for London - about)/Elizabeth Line to bail them out between Reading-Paddington it would seem.