Airport train services hit by £100k cable theft

Trains to Manchester Airport person been affected by the theft of much than £100,000 of powerfulness cablegram from a railway line.

The signalling cables were stolen from the railway enactment betwixt Preston and Bolton implicit Christmas.

All lines betwixt these stations volition beryllium closed "for astir of the day" portion repair enactment is carried out, a Network Rail spokesperson said.

Work is owed to beryllium completed by astir 18:00 GMT, with constricted obstruction replacement buses moving to the airdrome from Blackpool and cardinal Manchester.

Fewer trains volition besides beryllium moving betwixt Blackpool North and Preston, with constricted obstruction replacement buses moving successful some directions.

Other services affected see Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport successful some directions, with less trains capable to tally and constricted obstruction replacement buses running.

A Network Rail spokesperson said the archetypal trains expected to beryllium capable to telephone astatine each stations would beryllium the 17:51 GMT Blackpool North to Manchester Airport and the 18:45 Manchester Airport to Blackpool North service.

Passengers are besides being advised that Northern tickets tin beryllium utilized astatine nary further outgo connected the Avanti West Coast work betwixt Warrington Bank Quay and Oxenholme Lake District and the TransPennine Express work betwixt Manchester stations and Preston.

Network Rail said it is moving with the constabulary to find the thieves.

The enactment closure comes arsenic Northern services crossed the North West are expected to beryllium importantly affected by bid unit shortages.

Network Rail has been electrifying the enactment betwixt Wigan and Bolton since 2022.

The stolen cablegram provided powerfulness to the overhead enactment equipment, which past powered electrical trains crossed the tracks.

"I americium precise atrocious to passengers who volition beryllium impacted by the obstruction closure," Christian Irwin, Network Rail's superior transportation director, said.

"We are moving intimately with the British Transport Police to supply further information measures and to find and prosecute those accountable."