Rail passengers heading to London are facing a day of disruption after a train derailed on the main line between Birmingham New Street and London Euston.
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No injuries have been reported after the 6.19am service from Milton Keynes to London Euston came off the tracks.
Francis Thomas from London Midland said they have been “running a reduced service” across Saturday owing to the two lines still being blocked.
There are two tunnels at Watford Junction, with the derailed train affecting one tunnel normally used by slower trains, while a tunnel used by faster express trains remains open.
He said that because of where the incident happened, there will be disruption to services in and out of London Euston for at least most of the morning.
London Midland advised passengers to use alternative routes. Another train travelling in the opposite direction gave it a “glancing blow”, it added.
The areas worst hit by the heavy rain and flash flooding were across the east, south and south-east of England, which all had amber warnings in place, according to the Met Office.
Mr Frobisher added: ” Our priority is to make the landslip safe and fully reopen the railway as soon as it is safe to do so. “If the derailed carriage had been thrown a bit nearer the other line it would have collided head-on with the north-bound train and taken that off the track too”.
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London Midland live travel information.
