CrossCountry cancelled almost all train services across the UK on August 23, 2026, following a power failure at its control centre in Birmingham city centre. The route between Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport was the only service to continue operating.
Power Failure at Birmingham Control Centre
The disruption was caused by a power cut that started on August 22, affecting the building housing CrossCountry’s control centre in Birmingham city centre. This outage rendered many essential systems used to manage the railway unavailable, forcing the cancellation of most CrossCountry services on August 23.
Passenger Impact and Ticket Policies
Passengers were advised to check journey details before travelling, with National Rail Enquiries providing
updates. Tickets purchased for CrossCountry trains on August 23 were accepted on other operators’ services along the same routes. Customers delayed by 30 minutes or more could claim compensation via Delay Repay, while those who chose not to travel could request refunds at their point of purchase.
Operator Response and Additional Services
A CrossCountry spokesperson said, “A power failure at CrossCountry control centre means their trains can’t run today, so the industry is pulling together to keep customers moving. In order to help, we have added services between Birmingham Moor Street and Oxford and are accepting all CrossCountry tickets.” Other rail operators including Chiltern accepted
CrossCountry tickets on affected routes to support passengers during the disruption.
