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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Travel
Milo Boyd

Queen's funeral travel chaos as three London rail services go down

Mourners in London may find themselves stuck following the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II as three key services lines have gone down.

The Heathrow Express, the Elizabeth Line and GWR services to Berkshire have been impacted by damaged overhead power lines at Hayes and Harlington.

Heathrow Airport announced the closure of the speedy service to the travel hub on Twitter, throwing a potential spanner in the works for those flying out of the country once the service is complete.

The airport stated: "Due to an overhead power line failure, there are currently no Heathrow Express or Elizabeth Line services heading to Heathrow

"Passengers can use their existing TfL tickets on Tube and bus services instead."

Travellers weren't impressed when the power line failure was announced on Twitter.

The rail disruption will impact some of those leaving London later today (REUTERS)

One wrote: "You couldn't make it up – or maybe you can.

Another said: "Just to add the existing disruption and flights cancellations today."

The Elizabeth Line is part suspended, with no services running from Reading and Paddington to Heathrow Airport for the rest of the day.

All railway lines between Slough and Paddington are blocked due to damage to overhead electric wires, meaning Great Western Railway services cannot run.

A number of passengers on the 6.25am train from Paddington to Slough were stuck for more than two hours this morning.

Just before 10am staff at Paddington station were heard telling waiting passengers that there will be no services from the station today.

One remarked: "It couldn't have happened on a worse day."

Thousands of mourners are likely to miss the Queen's funeral due to the rail disruption.

The Elizabeth Line was opened in the Queen's name earlier this year (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Passengers on a GWR train due to run to Paddington were told by a member of staff using the public address system: "My sincerest apologies for the delays on such an important day for the country."

Several said they would watch the service on their phones while en route.

Bev Palfreman said she was "absolutely gutted" train disruption meant she would miss the start of the funeral.

The 61-year-old from Oakhampton in Devon had been travelling from her home to Paddington station but when the service was cancelled at Reading she had to board a train to Waterloo instead.

She said: "The Queen has just been there throughout the whole of my life. This was the only thing I wanted to do."

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