- A power failure at a Network Rail operating centre in Manchester caused widespread disruption across the rail network in the Midlands, Greater Manchester and northwest England on Thursday.
- Hundreds of travellers faced significant delays and cancellations, with train operators like Northern and TransPennine Express advising customers not to travel due to communication system failures.
- The outage affected numerous companies, including Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway and Transport for Wales.
- Transport secretary Heidi Alexander expressed regret, and Network Rail confirmed the affected facility was one of 12 designed to manage the British rail network.
- Further disruption is anticipated for Friday morning, with passengers urged to check National Rail Enquiries before travelling; a wartime bomb discovery also added to the day's issues.
IN FULL
