Commuters face a hellish journey home tonight following a power failure at Clapham Junction earlier today.
Thousands of people were ‘treated like animals’ while stranded on sweltering trains for up to five hours after electrical supply problems ground trains to a halt this morning.
British Transport Police and London Fire Service crews, who used a short extension ladder, evacuated passengers at around 10am and handed out water to those stranded in the coaches with no air conditioning.
Crews are using a short extension ladder to help passengers from the train. #ClaphamJunction Photo © @MPSLatchmere pic.twitter.com/merYBWSO0D
— London Fire Brigade (@LondonFire) April 30, 2015
One Twitter user @Unwariest complained about being kept on a hot train and having to walk on a railway track and used the hashtag ‘TreatedLikeAnimals’.
@Unwariest said: “Walking down the side of a track dangerous. Trapped on baking train for 5 hrs safe. Yeah right. #TreatedLikeAnimals.”
Walking down the side of a track dangerous. Trapped on baking train for 5 hrs safe. Yeah right. @BTP #TreatedLikeAnimals #ClaphamJunction — Unwariest (@Unwariest) April 30, 2015
Sami Dodangeh shared his hellish journey online recounting not only being stranded for five hours on a train, but then getting stuck on the bus replacement service.
He said: “No tweet could recount my morning. 5 hours trapped on the #ClaphamJunction train, and then the bus replacement gets stuck in a low tunnel.”
No tweet could recount my morning. 5 hours trapped on the #ClaphamJunction train, and then the bus replacement gets stuck in a low tunnel.
— Sami Dodangeh (@sami_dodangeh) April 30, 2015
Over 4 hrs on a #Southern train in Clapham. Police rationing out water, possible evac down the track @standardnews pic.twitter.com/IkLf18ifMk
— Sami Dodangeh (@sami_dodangeh) April 30, 2015
Network Rail issued an apology to passengers and a statement updating commuters.
It read: “Please expect long delays and cancellations due to a major power supply problem.
“We are really sorry for the disruption.”
#ClaphamJunction Please expect long delays and cancellations due to a major power supply problem. We are really sorry for the disruption. — Network Rail (@networkrail) April 30, 2015
#ClaphamJunction Engineers continue to work to resolve the problem. Sincere apologies if you are affected by the disruption. — Network Rail (@networkrail) April 30, 2015
Network Rail is suggesting that commuters use alternative routes as London Victoria and Clapham Junction are incredibly busy.
For the latest information, including alternatives and ticket acceptance, click here.
Featured picture courtesy of Sami Dodangeh, with thanks
