Overview
- National Rail identified two separate defective sections on the Euston–Milton Keynes/Watford corridor on Thursday, prompting safety speed limits that reduce line capacity and slow trains.
- Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway services to and from London Euston are being cancelled, revised or delayed, with operators warning delays of up to about ten minutes and local checks showing multiple cancellations and late trains.
- Operators have issued temporary ticket‑acceptance rules that let affected passengers use nearby Avanti services or London Overground trains at no extra cost, and standard delay‑repay compensation remains available for qualifying delays.
- Local reporting and Network Rail planning now indicate the disruption could last through Saturday and that an emergency operation to remove the Oxhey Grange footbridge will close the West Coast Main Line until 4pm on Sunday, with replacement buses and revised termini expected.
- Passengers should check operator updates before travel because some long‑distance services will start or terminate at Milton Keynes Central, London Northwestern will run a shuttle between Milton Keynes and Watford, and disruption is likely to make journeys slower and busier than normal.