Thousands of rail passengers hit by power failure disruption

Alexander posted on X, external she was “sorry to hear passengers in the North West are affected by a power outage, with trains cancelled or delayed”.

Manchester Rail Operating Centre was opened in July 2014 and houses all the controls to safely operate the railway in the region, including signalling.

According to Network Rail, its operational control boundary spans from Crewe in the south to Carlisle in the north, and from Todmorden in the east to the Welsh border in the west.

Sarah Nelson, who was unable to get to work in Manchester, was one of a number of affected passengers who told BBC Your Voice about their disruption.

She said she faced a “nightmare” five-hour round trip to just get back to her home in Blackpool.

The remedial massage therapist’s train was stuck at Horwich Parkway for more than 90 minutes.

Chris, a technology consultant, travelled to Manchester from Scotland on Wednesday on business.

He said he would likely book a hotel for the night, despite the expense and inconvenience, describing the delay as “costly, inconvenient… frustrating”.

“We’re still being told there is no power to any of the trains, no electricity – and they don’t expect anything to run today until the end of the day,” he said.

“I will have to get a hotel here and see if I can get home tomorrow.”

A couple returning from a trip to Gibraltar were planning to get a train home to Clitheroe, Lancashire, after landing at Manchester Airport.

But Matt and Sarah had to book an Uber to take them home instead, adding it was “costing a fortune”.

Stacey was among passengers who were evacuated from a train that stopped prematurely in Manchester when signalling failed.

The 38-year-old office worker, who was travelling from Deansgate to Leyland, Lancashire, paid £60 for a taxi home.

“The train stopped when the signals went,” she said, praising the “phenomenal” staff for their “calm and professional” efforts organising a controlled evacuation from the viaduct.