Signal failure causes rail disruption in the West Midlands with delays and cancellations

Passengers travelling through the West Midlands are facing major disruption after a signalling fault forced the closure of all rail lines between Nuneaton and Birmingham New Street.

Rail operator CrossCountry confirmed that a fault with the signalling system has blocked the route, meaning train services passing through the affected section may be cancelled, delayed or diverted.

The issue is believed to be affecting signalling equipment in the Water Orton area, a key stretch of track linking Birmingham with the Midlands and East of England.

Services cancelled and altered

Several services have already been disrupted as a result of the fault. Some trains that normally run between Leicester and Birmingham New Street have been terminated early at Nuneaton, while others travelling in the opposite direction have been cancelled entirely.

Examples include:

The 06:17 Leicester to Birmingham New Street service, which terminated at Nuneaton.

The 06:48 Leicester to Birmingham New Street service, also terminated at Nuneaton.

The 06:52 Birmingham New Street to Leicester service, which was cancelled.

Passengers are being advised that trains may continue to face disruption while engineers investigate and repair the signalling fault.

Travel advice for passengers

Rail operators have urged passengers to check before travelling and allow extra time for their journeys. Tickets may also be accepted on alternative operators and routes while the disruption continues.

Replacement transport and alternative routes are being considered where possible, with updates provided through live journey planners and service update pages.

The signalling system is critical for safely controlling train movements. When faults occur, lines are often blocked until the problem is resolved to ensure passenger safety.

More updates are expected as engineers work to restore normal services.