Services Resume After Lineside Fire
Rail services between Birmingham New Street and Burton-on-Trent have fully resumed following a lineside fire that caused major disruption on Monday evening. The fire, which broke out near the railway line, led to the suspension of services between the two stations for several hours.
Details of the Incident
Network Rail confirmed that the fire occurred close to the tracks, prompting emergency services to attend the scene. Passengers were advised to avoid travel on the affected routes, with trains either cancelled or delayed while firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze. The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.
Impact on Services
The disruption affected CrossCountry services between Birmingham New Street and Derby, as well as East Midlands Railway services between Birmingham and Nottingham. Passengers faced significant delays, with some services diverted or terminated early. Network Rail stated that engineers inspected the tracks after the fire was extinguished to ensure it was safe for trains to run.
Passenger Advice
Passengers who were impacted by the disruption were advised to check their journey details before traveling. Tickets for affected services were accepted on alternative routes, including via Tamworth or Lichfield. A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We apologize to passengers for the disruption caused by the lineside fire. Our teams worked hard to safely reopen the line as quickly as possible.”
Restoration of Normal Service
By Tuesday morning, all lines had been fully reopened, and services were running normally. Network Rail thanked passengers for their patience and confirmed that investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing. Passengers are reminded to remain aware of their surroundings and report any suspicious activity near railway lines.
