Rail passengers face further disruption due to signal fault (From Bicester Advertiser)

Rail passengers between Oxfordshire and London face further disruption due to signal fault

1:23am Friday 21st December 2012 in News By William Crossley

DISRUPTION to train services between Oxfordshire and London Paddington is expected to continue for much of today.

First Great Western is warning passengers that problems could last until at least mid-afternoon while Network Rail engineers try to repair a major signalling fault at Airport Junction in West London affecting track circuits which detect the position of trains. 

The number of trains able to use the line between Slough and Paddington has been severely limited since late yesterday morning.

Services were at a standstill for a period around midday and although two of the four tracks through the area soon reopened, many trains between London and Oxfordshire suffered delays of more than 90 minutes during the afternoon and evening rush-hour due to limited capacity on the lines that were in use.

FGW tickets will be accepted on Chiltern Railways services between Banbury, Bicester North, Haddenham & Thame Parkway and London Marylebone and on South West Trains' route between Reading and London Waterloo until further notice. 

Passengers are advised to check for the latest information before setting out to stations at First Great Western's JourneyCheck web page or by calling 08457 484950.