CROSSCOUNTRY train services were cancelled on almost all its routes today after a power cut in Birmingham hit its control centre.
Popular routes linking Glasgow to Edinburgh, Manchester to Birmingham, Cheltenham to Cardiff and Newcastle to Edinburgh were stopped.
Tickets bought for travel on CrossCountry services were accepted by other train operators on the same route and will remain valid on CrossCountry services until Wednesday.
Another power cut earlier this month caused delays and cancellations on the Arriva Group-owned operator’s services in the Midlands and north-west England. Electricity failed in the Manchester Rail Operating Centre, the main control hub for north-west England’s railways, also affecting Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern, Northern, TransPennine Express and Transport for Wales services.
Earlier this year, CrossCountry was told to raise its performance after receiving the worst score in a survey of more than 100,000 passengers.
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