A large number of mourners who traveled to London for the Queen’s funeral must wait in huge lines for trains to return home because all Paddington services have been cancelled.
People wishing to depart London from Paddington station were urged to travel to Reading through Waterloo instead, however images show that the lines for these trains are quite long.
It is anticipated that no trains will operate between London Paddington and South Wales and the West of England for the remainder of the day, since lines between the station and Reading have been closed since 6.30 a.m. due to two miles of downed overhead electric wires.
The Great Western Railway, Heathrow Express, and Elizabeth line services have all been disrupted, and the disruptions could last till tomorrow.
South Western Railway sent the following notice to passengers attempting to make alternative arrangements: ‘A queuing system is in place at London Waterloo for all services to Reading as we accommodate additional demand from the GWR network.
Due to the closure of Paddington Station, hundreds of individuals are waiting in line for Reading-bound trains departing from Waterloo.
South Western Railway cautioned that Waterloo-bound trains are extremely crowded and that a queuing system is in effect.
This afternoon, those who traveled to Windsor to witness the arrival of the Queen’s coffin at St. George’s Chapel would have to wait up to an hour just to enter the station.
“Trains are extremely crowded; therefore, please allow extra time for your journey.
Tickets are valid for subsequent services.
Those who traveled to Windsor to see the arrival of the Queen’s coffin at St. George’s Chapel this afternoon will have to wait up to an hour just to enter the station.
Great Western Railway’s most current update stated that a queue system is in place at both Windsor stations, with a one-hour wait at Windsor & Eton Central and a much shorter wait at Windsor & Eton Riverside.
The train company has stated that the Night Riviera Sleeper service between Paddington and Penzance will not operate in either direction tonight. As a result, those wishing to return to Cornwall may be forced to spend the night in London.
Great Western Railway reported that service disruptions between London Paddington and Reading will continue throughout the remainder of the day.
Earlier today, passengers at Paddington Station viewed blank screens as services were halted by two miles of damaged overhead electric lines.
South Western Railway stated that a queue system exists at London Waterloo for all Reading-bound trains.
After all trains from Paddington were canceled, a sign language interpreter at Westminster Hall for the Queen’s lying-in-state told BBC News that she was worried of how she would get home to Maidenhead.
She added, ‘Obviously I’ll have to travel across London again to get to Waterloo or Victoria to catch a coach or train, but even then I can’t make it all the way to Maidenhead; I’ll have to stop halfway.” And tens of thousands of people will be unable to return home later.’
As GWR trains were disrupted throughout the day, some individuals were unable to reach London in time for the funeral.
Barry Boffy, who was invited to the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, was only able to get as far as Reading before being forced to turn around.
The former British Transport Police officer from Bristol said he was “extremely unhappy” to have missed the service, adding, “This would have been a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me.” This is the first time I’ve been asked to a state function of this nature. And it is extremely improbable that I will be invited to a similar function in the future.
Former British Transport Police officer Barry Boffy (shown above) told the BBC that travel problems prevented him from attending the Queen’s funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Hundreds of GWR passengers on five early morning trains entering Paddington station had to be escorted down the track to safety this morning when power cables fell.
According to a GWR representative who talked to MailOnline, the trains were evacuated and passengers were transported to the nearest station for safety.
The spokesperson continued, “Paddington station will remain closed for the remainder of the day.”
The fault was reported at Hayes and Harlington station at 6:45 a.m.
A member of staff apologized over the public address system to passengers on a Paddington-bound train that was substantially delayed: “My deepest apologies for the delays on such a crucial day for the country.”
This afternoon, train executives attempted to prevent further travel problems by requesting that mourners visit a bar or coffee shop following the burial.
National Rail tweeted: ‘Cafes, pubs, and other hospitality providers around London are expected to be open this afternoon, so please don’t rush home immediately after the state funeral and final procession so you can continue commemorating this historic day and help alleviate pressure on the rail network.’
On the national bank holiday, up to two million mourners were scheduled to travel to London, Windsor, and other royal places throughout the United Kingdom, while an estimated 4.1 billion people worldwide were expected to watch the funeral on television.