Londoners face travel misery expected to last all day after a fire caused by vandalism damaged vital electrical equipment near the railway line in west London. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, is impacting the Elizabeth line, Great Western Railway (GWR), and Heathrow Express on Monday, September 7, 2026.
What happened and which services are affected
The fire damaged trackside cables in Kensal Green, between Reading and Hayes and Harlington. As a result, Elizabeth line trains will not run up to Heathrow Terminal T5, while GWR trains will skip Slough, Maidenhead, and Twyford. Heathrow Express services between London Paddington station and the airport will run at a reduced frequency.
National Rail stated: 'Following an incident on Saturday, where some electrical distribution equipment was damaged in a fire, there are significant effects on train services as a result.' Transport for London attributed the disruption to 'vandalism.'
Commuters face severe delays and frustration
Footage shows trackside cables badly damaged by the fire. Frustrated commuters took to social media after being caught up in the delays. One person said on X that 'can we have a decent Elizabeth Line service' after 'yet again delays are blighting me.' A passenger on a GWR train to Paddington said everyone was told to get off at Maidenhead and take an Elizabeth line service instead, before being told to disembark again due to the disruption affecting both services.
Severe delays are reported on the stretch between Reading and Hayes and Harlington. A free shuttle transfer will operate between Heathrow terminals, but journeys could take longer than usual.
Additional disruption and ongoing impact
Elsewhere, the Central line has been hit by rush hour delays on the entire line due to a signal failure at Liverpool Street, which is being fixed, according to the latest TfL status update. GWR advised passengers to check their journeys, as services running to and from affected stations will be cancelled or revised. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.
