Commuters are currently experiencing significant delays on a key rail route due to the theft of signalling cables. East Midlands Railway has announced that services passing through Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire will be disrupted for most of the day following the overnight theft incident.
The train operator has issued warnings of delays for trains traveling between Newark Castle and Lincoln on Monday after the theft occurred near the village of Collingham in Nottinghamshire.
East Midlands Railway stated, “A signalling cable theft near Collingham has disrupted train services between Lincoln and Newark, affecting multiple routes. Passengers are advised to check their journey before setting off.”
While the railway line remains operational, trains are running in both directions through the affected area. However, passengers should anticipate delays of up to 15 minutes for services passing through, as reported by NottinghamshireLive.
Due to the damage caused, East Midlands Railway is currently operating only two trains per hour in each direction within the affected area. Consequently, some trains along these routes may be altered or canceled, with morning cancellations already announced as of 6.30 am.
For more information on the disruptions, individuals can visit the East Midlands Railway website. A spokesperson mentioned, “Following a theft of signalling cables at Collingham overnight, our services on the Newark North Gate/Lincoln, Matlock/Derby/Nottingham/Cleethorpes, and Crewe/Derby/Nottingham/Lincoln routes are being disrupted.”
Network Rail is actively working on-site to rectify the issue caused by the theft. Due to the extensive amount of cable that needs replacement, the repair work is expected to continue for the majority of the day.
As per the latest update on the East Midlands Railway website around 6.30 am, the disruption is anticipated to be resolved by 6 pm later today.
Incidents of signalling cable theft on railway lines are unfortunately not uncommon, with similar disruptions occurring in South Yorkshire on New Year’s Eve. The theft incident at Conisbrough between Doncaster and Sheffield impacted CrossCountry, Northern, and TransPennine Express services between the two stations.
In January, another case of “major disruption” ensued following a cable theft at Napsbury, leading to a signaling system fault near St Albans, Hertfordshire. This caused disruptions to East Midlands Railway services between Sheffield, Nottingham, Corby, and London St Pancras, as well as Thameslink services between Bedford and East Croydon, and Luton and Rainham in Kent.