Train operator CrossCountry has canceled almost all of its services across the United Kingdom due to a significant power outage at its control center in Birmingham. The disruption began Saturday, impacting numerous major routes and leaving passengers facing widespread cancellations until further notice.
The power failure has rendered many of the systems essential for managing railway operations unavailable. This has led to the cancellation of services on nearly all CrossCountry routes. Major routes affected include those connecting cities such as Manchester and Birmingham, Leeds and York, and Cheltenham and Cardiff. Services between Glasgow and Edinburgh have also been canceled.
CrossCountry stated that it is working with relevant partners to address the situation and will provide updates as they become available. The operator usually serves over 100 stations, but the only route expected to maintain a near-normal service is between Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport.
The company has apologized for the "significant and unforeseen disruption" and is advising affected passengers on their options. Tickets are being accepted by other train operators, and passengers are entitled to Delay Repay compensation for delays of 30 minutes or more. Those who choose not to travel can claim a refund for their journey.