Rail chaos as industrial estate fire causes cancellations

A fire on a Nottinghamshire industrial estate caused mayhem on East Midlands train routes to and from London yesterday (19 August) as local residents were warned to stay indoors and shut their windows and doors.

Emergency crews were called out to a fire, thought to be caused by tyres setting alight, at Hathernware Industrial Estate, Sutton Bonington.

A statement from Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Services said: “For all those villages East and South of the incident, please ensure you keep windows and doors shut and please defer from making any unnecessary journeys at present.”

The fire caused chaos on trains from Nottingham and Leicester to St Pancras.

A statment from East Midlands Trains said: “Unfortunately the size of the fire is preventing our trains to run safely through the affected area. Therefore the emergency services have asked for trains to stop between Loughborough and East Midlands Parkway. Network Rail and the emergency services are working hard to reopen the line as soon as possible.

“We are unfrotunately not able to offer alterantive routes from stations North of Leicester as there are planned engineering works at London Euston. This has resulted in alternative routes via Birmingham becoming unavailable.

“Also trains from London Kings Cross are impacted by the engineering works at London Euston. London North Eastern Railway services are extremely busy and therefore we cannot offer this as an alternative route at this time.

“We have replacement buses running between Nottingham and Leicester calling at East Midlands Parkway and Loughborough.”

East Midlands Trains said that all tickets valid for Sunday can be used today (20 August).