CrossCountry cancels UK services after power cut
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CrossCountry cancels UK services after power cut
Image source: PA Media
Image caption: Services across almost all CrossCountry routes have been cancelled
By Alice Cullinane at New Street Station, Birmingham
Published 23 August 2026, 09:18 BST
Updated 39 minutes ago
Trains across the UK have been cancelled by rail operator CrossCountry after a power cut at its control centre. The power outage started in Birmingham on Saturday, resulting in the unavailability of many systems used to manage the railway, the operator said.
Cancellations are affecting most routes, from Glasgow to Penzance and Leeds to Manchester, until further notice due to "significant and unforeseen disruption", CrossCountry, ranked Britain's worst rail operator in June, stated.
Passengers are expressing their frustration on social media, describing the situation as the "worst case scenario" over the weekend. Some have opted to take coaches before continuing their journey with another operator.
Major routes, including Manchester to Birmingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, and Wolverhampton, as well as Leeds to York, Cheltenham to Cardiff, and Glasgow to Edinburgh, are all impacted. Football fans travelling to matches in Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle have been warned that services might be "extremely busy".
One passenger, posting on X, wrote:
"A massive thank you to Cross Country Trains for cancelling my train this morning to Birmingham. You are truly not fit for service. You have also cancelled my train coming back but that is immaterial. Useless. Utterly useless."
Services to Plymouth and Penzance are also disrupted, with customers relying on Great Western Railway as an alternative.
A CrossCountry spokesperson said:
"We are working closely with relevant partners and will provide further updates as soon as possible."
At New Street Station, barriers are open, and regular announcements inform passengers of the disruption. Digital boards display a Special Notice regarding the cancellations.
While CrossCountry typically serves over 100 stations, the only route expected to operate near-normally is between Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport.
The company apologised to affected passengers and stated that tickets are being accepted by other operators. Customers are eligible for Delay Repay compensation if their train is delayed by 30 minutes or more, or they can request a refund for their journey.
National Rail informed customers that they could use London Underground services at no extra cost and also West Midlands Metro services between Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street.
Train tickets purchased for CrossCountry services on Sunday will remain valid for travel until Wednesday, according to National Rail. They advised football fans:
"You may need to stand for part or all of your journey. If you require any assistance, please speak with a member of staff."