Overview

• A fire at a National Grid substation in Maida Vale caused a brief power dip at 2:30 PM on May 12, triggering widespread shutdowns across the London Underground network.
• Multiple lines, including the Bakerloo, Jubilee, Northern, and Elizabeth, were suspended or delayed, leaving passengers stranded and prompting evacuations from trains and stations.
• Emergency power measures prevented a total blackout, but TfL’s customer information website crashed under heavy demand, exacerbating commuter frustration.
• Power was restored to all affected lines by the evening, but delays and partial suspensions persisted into the night as services gradually resumed.
• Investigations by TfL and National Grid are underway, with calls for infrastructure resilience improvements following the incident.