A London Underground power failure on Tuesday afternoon caused major service disruptions across several tube and overground lines, including the Elizabeth line.
Power Failure Hits Underground and Elizabeth Line
The power outage, which occurred around 14:30 BST, caused parts of the London Underground and Elizabeth line to shut down. Affected lines included:
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Full suspension on the Bakerloo line
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Severe delays on the Mildmay line, especially between Highbury & Islington and Stratford
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Disruptions on the Elizabeth, Jubilee, District, Circle, and Piccadilly lines
Earlier in the day, the Northern, Jubilee, and Waterloo & City lines also experienced shutdowns.
What Caused the London Underground Power Failure?
Transport for London (TfL) reported that a brief interruption to the power supply led to the issue. Although power was restored quickly, delays and suspensions continued for several hours.
“Due to a brief interruption of the power supply to our network, several lines lost power earlier this afternoon,” said Claire Mann, Chief Operating Officer at TfL.
“We apologise to customers and are working to fully restore services.”
Overground and King’s Cross Also Affected
In a separate incident, a fire alert suspended the Suffragette line on London Overground.
At King’s Cross station, a heavy downpour overwhelmed drainage systems, resulting in power loss on several platforms. However, Network Rail confirmed that no trains were canceled and services resumed by 18:00 BST.
Commuters Struggle with Lack of Information
Many travelers were left frustrated due to poor communication about which stations were open:
Michèle (71) said she was redirected from Tottenham Court Road to Leicester Square and Covent Garden, all of which were shut.
“I finally got told to try Holborn. Hopefully that’s open,” she said.
Justine (53) and Benny (20) from Leamington Spa were unable to renew a passport due to the delays.
“We don’t even know how to get home,” Justine told reporters at Embankment station.
National Grid Confirms Brief Fault
A National Grid spokesperson stated that a fault in the transmission network caused a voltage dip, briefly affecting power across central London.
“The fault was resolved within seconds, but the dip impacted the low-voltage distribution network,” the spokesperson confirmed.
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