Rail passengers face delays due to damaged overhead wires near Birmingham
Rail passengers across the region have been warned to expect delays and disruption to services across the afternoon after a set of overhead electric wires were damaged.
National Rail put out a message to inform passengers that due to damage to the lines in the Birmingham New Street area, some lines would be blocked and a number of services would be delayed or revised.
The rail provider said that major disruption was expected until 4pm and said that tickets for certain services would be valid for train and bus services across the region.
A spokesman for National Rail said: "Due to damage to the overhead electric wires in the Birmingham New Street area, some lines are blocked.
"Trains running through this station may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.
"Major disruption is expected until 4pm."
For Avanti West Coast services, passengers were told that if a train was cancelled, tickets were valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before a booked train, or one of the two immediately after.
CrossCountry passengers were told that tickets will be accepted on the two CrossCountry services operating before and after a cancelled service, as well as on TransPennine Express, West Midlands Railway, London Northwestern, Great Western and South Western Railway services.
London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway passengers were also told that tickets would be accepted on CrossCountry services between Birmingham New Street and University and West Midlands Railway between Birmingham Moor Street and Shirley, to connect with local buses to Kings Norton, Longbridge and Northfield.
