Vandalism was the probable cause of delays to rail services at Birmingham New Street yesterday (April 11), according to Network Rail.
Photographic evidence shows damaged signalling cables at Proof House Junction (south side of New Street), which appear to have been deliberately burnt and cut.
As a result, 655 services were disrupted at New Street, with 135 trains cancelled and 146 part-cancelled. The delays started from 0500, with the longest lasting around 40 minutes.
Normal service resumed between 0930 and 1000, after Network Rail engineers successfully repaired the cables.
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David Hunt - 12/04/2016 17:17
Disgusting,should be a prison sentence if caught.
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Andrewjgwilt1989 - 13/04/2016 10:24
Could it been thugs that have caused the delays to hundreds of services by damaging signalling cables. No wonder thousands of commuters experienced delays and cancellations at Birmingham New Street and on the West Coast Main Line affecting London Midland, Virgin Trains West Coast and Crosscountry services.
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Nicksy - 20/04/2016 10:13
I have noticed reports - in RAIL, from NRE and elsewhere - over the years that damage by fire to signal cables has happened repeatedly at, for instance, Canley, Tile Hill, Berkswell and at other locations between Coventry and Birmingham. It may be that there is a commom MO, consistent with creating disruption and/or cable theft. Yet I thought Network Rail had taken various new security measures. Whether it's a gang or an individual, are BTP 'on the case' sufficiently?
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FrankH - 10/05/2016 21:23
It could be the same gangs that target motorway cabling.
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