Thameslink warning as rush-hour delays hit Luton rail commuters

Thameslink passengers face major delays and cancellations after a signalling fault overnight.

Major signalling problems late on Thursday January 16 led to a string of cancellations and delays on Thameslink services during the morning rush hour.

Signallers and crew chiefs battled to get trains and drivers in the right place to run as near normal service as possible.

A Thameslink spokesman said: "At 22:18 last night, there was a complete failure of the signalling system between St Albans and Luton Airport Parkway and this continued until approximately 05:00.

How the departures board was looking at Luton station on Friday morning.

"This issue was caused by a power supply fault. Network Rail and power company engineers have been working on site all night and are still investigating the cause of the problem.

"However, the affected part of the power supply has now been successfully bypassed, meaning trains can now run normally on all lines.

"Unfortunately, overnight Thameslink services were significantly disrupted, meaning that a number of trains and crews are at the wrong ends of the network. Thameslink are now putting the timetable back together and getting resources back to the right places.

"Your train may still be cancelled, revised to call at different stations, or delayed. Trains are likely to be busier than usual. Please leave plenty of time for your journey, check which trains are running before you travel and be aware that you can use alternative routes for some journeys."