CrossCountry cancels ‘almost all’ UK services after power cut – BBC News
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CrossCountry cancels ‘almost all’ 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: 6 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, rendering many of the railway management systems unavailable, according to the operator.
Cancellations are affecting most routes until further notice due to "significant and unforeseen disruption", said CrossCountry, ranked Britain’s worst rail operator in June.
Passengers express frustration:
Major routes between Manchester and Birmingham, as well as routes from Leeds to York, Cheltenham to Cardiff, and Glasgow to Edinburgh, are all affected. Football fans traveling to fixtures in Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle have been warned that services might be "extremely busy".
One passenger, posting on X, expressed their dismay: "A massive thank you to Cross Country Trains for cancelling my train this morning to Birmingham… You are truly not fit for service." They added that they had to drive over 100 miles to attend a match.
Another traveler, Reese Proctor, described the situation as "frustrating and unacceptable" as he tried to reach Manchester’s Etihad Stadium on time for a 14:00 BST kickoff against Bournemouth.
Image source: Reese Proctor
Image caption: Reese Proctor had to drive over 100 miles due to canceled trains.
Services to Plymouth and Penzance are also disrupted, with passengers seeking alternative operators like Great Western Railway.
"We are working closely with relevant partners and will provide further updates as soon as possible," a CrossCountry spokesperson said.
At New Street station, barriers are open, and announcements alert passengers to the disruptions. Digital boards display a Special Notice about canceled CrossCountry services. While usually serving over 100 stations, only the Peterborough-Cambridge-Stansted Airport route is expected to operate near-normally.
The company apologized for the inconvenience and stated that tickets are being honored by other operators. Customers may be eligible for Delay Repay compensation if their train is delayed by 30 minutes or more.
