London Paddington: cancellations and delays on GWR as trackside fire causes major disruption

Commuters leaving London face major delays after a trackside fire caused large-scale disruption to rail services going to and from London Paddington.

Firefighters were called to the deal with an electrical fire at Maidenhead train station at around 7am on Wednesday, which triggered cancellations at Paddington as trains were terminated at Reading.

Great Western Railway (GWR) said services between Paddington and Reading would be disrupted until the end of the day, with some cancelled and others delayed, leading to transport problems for thousands leaving the city. A spokesperson said: “Two of four lines have reopened, however, services between Reading and Paddington may be cancelled or delayed by up to 30 minutes.”

Services between Hereford and Worcester Shrub Hill, and Marlow and Maidenhead are also experiencing cancellations. Elizabeth Line services have also been impacted, with no services running between Maidenhead and Reading. They are also reporting severe delays between Hayes & Harlington and Maidenhead.

Network Rail said it was investigating the cause of the fire, but that it was “too early to speculate”. A spokesperson for Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “Crews from Slough, Maidenhead and Windsor fire stations were sent to the scene.

“Upon arrival, crews discovered an electrical fire alongside the railway. Using a dry powder hose reel, firefighters extinguished the fire.”