Major Sunday travel chaos in Devon as faulty train blocks lines

A broken-down train near Newton Abbot has caused a total blockade of the rail line, with passengers warned to expect major disruption and cancellations for the rest of the day.

The cause of the breakdown remains unconfirmed, but eyewitnesses have reported a heavy emergency service presence, including police and fire crews, at the scene.

At a glance

• Lines blocked: No trains are running between Newton Abbot and Plymouth or Paignton.

• Severe delays: Cancellations and delays of up to 120 minutes are expected until the end of service.

• Emergency response: Police and Fire services are on site; the A380 has been reduced to one lane.

• Travel advice: Passengers are urged to delay travel if possible due to "extremely limited" replacement buses

17.30

Which routes are affected?

The following routes are experiencing total cancellations or heavy diversions:

• GWR services between London Paddington/Exeter and Penzance/Paignton.

• CrossCountry services between the North/Midlands and Plymouth/Penzance.

Tickets are being accepted on local bus routes

17.16

Disruption expected until end of the day

Great Western Railway (GWR) and National Rail have confirmed that the disruption between Newton Abbot and Plymouth/Paignton is now expected to last until the end of service today.

Engineers are on-site assessing the broken-down train, but the position of the fault means all lines remain blocked. Passengers currently on services are being told to expect delays of at least two hours while the backlog is managed.

17.00

A380 lane closure to assist emergency services

Travel monitors report that one lane of the A380 has been closed near the rail line to allow Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue to manage the incident.

The nature of the breakdown has not been confirmed. 

This is a live article and will be updated accordingly.