A points failure between Cambridge and Royston means that all lines are blocked. As a result, trains running between these stations will be cancelled or delayed by up to 25 minutes.
Disruption is expected until 15:00.
Customer Advice
There is a points failure in the area between Cambridge and Royston, this is not allowing trains to run on this route currently.
Trains will be held while Network Rail colleagues attend, and departures that would travel over this area will not do so.
At this time, it is advised to delay travelling until later, and check live journey planners before starting any journey.
You can check train departures from your station here:
You can view live maps of our network here:
You can also see our alternative route guides here:
Can you tell me more about the incident?
Points are moveable sections of track which can send trains onto different routes at junctions. These are part of the signalling system, generally managed by Network Rail.
Points can stop moving correctly for a number of reasons. For example, there may be an obstruction in the moving parts, or the electronic control systems may have developed a fault.
There are various backup systems which allow signallers to try to "set" the points, and in some cases, the points may be available for trains in one of the directions they serve, but not another. However, with more severe failures like this one, the route is blocked entirely.
Network Rail have sent their specialist Signalling & Telecoms teams to site as a priority, and they will set up a safe method of working on the track. As soon as it's safe to go on the line, they will diagnose the fault and find any quick solutions to resolve it.
Whilst this is being done, we will be monitoring progress closely. At times, replacement parts may be needed, or specialist advice from suppliers, which is why some points failures take longer to resolve than others.
Check before you travel:
You can check your journey using the National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner.
Compensation:
You may be entitled to compensation if you experience a delay in completing your journey today. Please keep your train ticket and make a note of your journey, as both will be required to support any claim.