Manchester Piccadilly has issued a ‘do not travel’ warning due to a major overhead cable failure.
Disruption is expected to last all day at the station, with many trains cancelled.
With more than 75,000 passengers travelling through Piccadilly every day, and the station serving as the main rail gateway to Manchester Airport, thousands of travellers are now facing cancelled or delayed services at short notice.
National Rail said: ‘As a result of this, trains running to / from this station may be cancelled or severely delayed by up to 60 minutes.’
According to National Rail, there has been some damage to the overhead electric wires at Manchester Piccadilly.
This has closed some lines at this station, affecting services.
As such, Avanti West Coast trains will not call at Manchester Piccadilly.
Tickets for travel on the Manchester Piccadilly route dated for today will be valid for travel tomorrow (Friday 17 April) at no extra cost, as well as on alternative services.
CrossCountry customers have been advised that rail replacement transport is in operation between Manchester Piccadilly and Macclesfield.
Customers travelling with East Midlands Railway, Northern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales may also be affected, so it’s worth checking your route before you travel.
A Network Rail team is on site to investigate the issue, including engineers, but there is not yet confirmation on when it will be resolved.
Travellers have reported severe disruption on their journeys, with many saying they were kicked off trains or left stranded as a result.
On X, @uptheblades wrote: ‘Oh just f**k off. Absolute joke. Been booted off the train at Crewe. Apparently I now have to go from here to Warrington, from there to Manchester Victoria and they’ll then put a bus on to Piccadilly. Did ask if trains were leaving Piccadilly and told ‘sorry don’t know’.’
Others criticised the services, with one writing: ‘Abysmal service.’
Another disgruntled customer commented on Facebook: ‘We were advised to get the 192 bus to Stockport, then get the train from there. I’ve been able to get on the train to Euston from there.’
Another added: ‘They recently closed the station for a week for upgrades. Great improvement. Nothing changes.’
A third wrote: ‘They say public transport is better?! It is shocking!’
Another chimed in: ‘10.53 out of Euston, currently sat at Stoke on Trent with no idea when we’ll get to Stockport – the end of our journey!’
One X user, @PhilipMarsh253, even captured a photograph of a train that has reportedly caused issues on the line.
He wrote on X: ‘This is a blurry pic, but it’s the pantograph (mechanical linkage system) that’s caused the problems in Manchester Piccadilly… my driver says there’s a lot of wires down and it’s not going to be an easy fix.’
Another added: ‘I’m stuck Manchester – no Avanti, Northern or Cross Country trains, no replacement buses, no information being given to us suckers who pay.’
Network Rail said in a statement on X: ‘We are currently responding to an issue with overhead line equipment at Manchester Piccadilly which is causing severe disruption to train services.
‘At present, most trains in and out of Piccadilly will be delayed or cancelled. Our teams are on site working to resolve the issue as soon as possible. Disruption is expected to continue until the end of the day.
‘Ticket acceptance is in place on rail and some Bee Network services. Please check with train operators or the national rail website for more.’
Simon McCulloch, chief commercial officer at travel insurance provider Staysure, has issued a comment advising passengers on what to do right now, including alternative routes, what ticket acceptance means in practice, and what to check on their travel insurance if they miss a flight.
Simon said: ‘If you’re travelling to Manchester Airport today, disruption at Manchester Piccadilly is significant and worth taking seriously.
‘Check your route before you leave – many services are cancelled or delayed, and disruption can change quickly if you’re cutting it fine for a flight.
‘The official advice is clear: do not travel to or from Manchester Piccadilly at this time. If your journey would normally take you through the station, you should look at alternative routes where possible.
‘While many rail journeys to Manchester Airport usually connect via Piccadilly, you may need to consider diversion via Metrolink services or alternative rail options depending on where you’re travelling from.
‘Give yourself significantly more time than you think you need. If you’re already en route and facing delays, speak to staff about alternative routing – during major disruption, ticket acceptance arrangements are often put in place across operators to help passengers continue their journey.’
Simon added if you do miss your flight, check your travel insurance policy as some providers may include cover for missed departures caused by public transport disruption, but this depends on the specific terms of your policy.
