Rail Passengers Face Second Day of Disruption Following Major Power Outage Across UK Network

Rail passengers across parts of the UK are facing a second day of travel disruption following a major power outage that affected train services on Thursday.

Although many routes have returned to normal, rail operators and transport officials have warned that delays and cancellations could continue throughout Friday morning as the network recovers.

National Rail said disruption in north-west England and the Greater Manchester area is now expected to continue until around midday. Services between Newport and Cardiff Central in South Wales are also expected to remain affected until at least the end of the day.

TransPennine Express (TPE) has advised passengers to travel as planned but check their journeys before setting off, as some services may still be delayed or cancelled at short notice until 12:00 p.m.

To help affected customers, the operator is allowing passengers to use tickets purchased for Thursday on Friday at no additional cost. Ticket restrictions have also been temporarily relaxed, enabling travelers to board any TPE service along their booked route. Passengers delayed by more than 15 minutes may be eligible for compensation.

Despite the ongoing disruption in some areas, major stations such as Birmingham New Street appeared to be operating normally on Friday morning. Commuters and holidaymakers were seen moving through the station with minimal delays, and departure boards showed only a small number of service issues.

Transport journalist Andy Bowes-Roden, deputy editor of Modern Railways magazine, said the impact of the outage would likely continue to be felt throughout the day as trains and crew members remain out of position following Thursday’s disruption.

He said services should gradually improve during the day, with hopes that most routes will return to normal by the evening rush hour. However, he warned that some operational challenges may continue until the weekend.

Rail operators are encouraging passengers to check live travel updates before traveling and to allow extra time for their journeys while recovery efforts continue.