Great Western Railway train services cancelled after cracks found in trains
High-speed train services to and from stations across the West Country have been cancelled today as a precaution after cracks were found in trains.
The issue was found in the Hitachi 800 series trains, which are used by Great Western Railway and other train companies.
All high-speed GWR services between London, Bristol, Cardiff and Penzance have been cancelled and customers are advised not to attempt to travel today.
GWR’s website said the disruption was expected until the end of the day as investigations are carried out.
The move comes after reports emerged last month that a crack was found on GWR's new vehicle at Hitachi’s North Pole depot in west London - this is where GWR’s new Intercity trains undergo regular checks.
It means all the fast trains that normally head between Bristol and Paddington are initially cancelled today, as well as the Hitachi trains that run up the West Coast mainline from London.
A GWR spokesperson said: “A number of Class 800 series Hitachi trains from several train companies have been taken out of service today for checks as a precautionary measure.
"This problem is being investigated by Hitachi and once trains have been checked, we hope to be able to release them back into service as soon as possible.
“This will affect a significant number of today’s Intercity services and local lines are also likely to be extremely busy. Customers are advised not to travel. Refunds will be provided and customers should visit gwr.com for more information.”
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