Rush hour train chaos as power failure cripples Leeds Station

Around 20 police officers were sent down to organise frustrated commuters who were prevented from entering the station as they headed home from work.

The breakdown, just after 4pm, shut down every signal near the station. The cause was being investigated but it is not thought to have been cable theft.

Power was restored to west side signals, controlling lines to London, Wakefield, Bradford and Manchester, just before 5pm. The rest were restored by 5.30pm but knock-on delays continued through the evening.

Crowds gathered outside the station as Network Rail workers tried to discover the cause of the loss of power.

Around 2,000 commuters were slowly ushered into the station by the officers that were scrambled to the scene.

One said: “I got here just after 4pm and it was packed. I basically had a choice between a two and half hour bus round trip to Keighley and then home, or wait here and see what happened.”

CrossCountry, East Coast, First TransPennine Express and Northern Rail services were all affected, with delays of up to 90 minutes.

It is believed that some surrounding offices experienced a power surge just prior to the problem.

British Transport Police said the cause was not suspicious.

Civil servant, Kevin Jackson, 44, from the North East, said: “I couldn’t get in the place at first.

“I thought about getting the bus to York and then catching the line, which in all could have taken about three hours.

“I’ve just got to get home, I just knew something had happened by the amount of people in here.”

A spokeswoman for Network Rail said: “We thank passengers for their patience.”