Commuters are experiencing significant delays today along a busy rail route due to the theft of signalling cables.
East Midlands Railway has notified passengers that services passing through Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire will be affected for most of the day following the overnight theft incident.
The train operator has cautioned about delays on routes between Newark Castle and Lincoln on Monday after the theft occurred near the village of Collingham in Nottinghamshire.
East Midlands Railway stated, “A theft of signalling cables near Collingham has occurred. This disruption is impacting trains on various routes between Lincoln and Newark. Passengers are advised to check their journey before setting out.”
Although the railway line remains operational, trains are running in both directions through the area. However, there might be delays of up to 15 minutes for services passing through, as reported by NottinghamshireLive.
Due to the damage caused, East Midlands Railway can only operate two trains per hour in each direction through the affected area. Consequently, some trains on these routes may be altered or canceled, with morning cancellations already announced as of 6.30 am.
More information on the anticipated disruption is accessible on the East Midlands Railway website. A spokesperson added, “There was a theft of signalling cables at Collingham overnight, affecting our trains on various routes. Network Rail is on-site working to rectify the issue, but due to the extensive cable replacement needed, the repairs are expected to last most of the day.”
As per the latest update on the East Midlands Railway website around 6.30 am, the disruption is projected to conclude by 6 pm today.
Instances of signalling cable theft on railway lines are not rare, with similar incidents causing service disruptions in South Yorkshire on New Year’s Eve. An incident at Conisbrough between Doncaster and Sheffield affected CrossCountry, Northern, and TransPennine Express services between the two stations.
In January, a significant disruption followed a cable theft at Napsbury, leading to signal system faults at nearby St Albans, Hertfordshire. Services by East Midlands Railway between Sheffield, Nottingham, Corby, and London St Pancras were impacted, along with Thameslink services between Bedford and East Croydon, as well as between Luton and Rainham in Kent.
