Thousands of mourners will miss the Queen’s funeral due to rail disruption. All lines between Paddington in west London and Reading in Berkshire are blocked because of damage to overhead electric wires, Network Rail said.
Services run by GWR, Heathrow Express and the Elizabeth line are disrupted. Passengers on a GWR train were told by a member of staff using the public address system: “My sincerest apologies for the delays on such an important day for the country.”
One person reported being stranded on a train which was stationary outside Paddington for at least 30 minutes. Mourners intending to travel to the capital are advised to use South Western Railway services from Reading to Waterloo.
The Queen’s funeral begins at 11am at Westminster Abbey, but central London viewing areas for the procession are closing before then to avoid overcrowding. Rail lines between Reading and Newbury are also closed due to a person being hit by a train.
This is causing GWR trains to be diverted, delaying more journeys to the capital. The issues come during one of the UK’s biggest transport operations as mourners descend on London and Windsor.
National Rail Enquiries is showing that all services to and from the station are “delayed”. Heathrow Airport had previously urged airline passengers to use rail or Tube services on Monday due to road closures in the Windsor area.
