CrossCountry cancelled almost all its UK train services on August 26, 2026, due to a power cut at its control centre in Birmingham. The outage, which began on Saturday, disabled key railway management systems, halting operations across the network.
Affected Routes and Alternative Transport
The cancellations impacted major routes from Glasgow to Penzance and Leeds to Manchester. Specific routes severely affected include Manchester to Birmingham via Stoke-on-Trent, Coventry, and Wolverhampton; Leeds to York; Cheltenham to Cardiff; and Glasgow to Edinburgh. Great Western Railway provided replacement services to Plymouth and Penzance.
CrossCountry confirmed that tickets for Sunday remain valid until Wednesday. Chiltern Railways added services between
Birmingham Moor Street and Oxford and accepts CrossCountry tickets on all reasonable routes. London North Eastern Railway also accepts CrossCountry tickets to assist stranded passengers.
National Rail announced that affected customers may use London Underground services at no extra charge and West Midlands Metro between Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street as part of disruption relief measures.
Passenger Impact and Experiences
Passengers faced widespread cancellations and disruptions, with many forced to seek alternative transport such as coaches or private cars. Services to and from Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle are expected to be extremely busy. National Rail warned that standing may be necessary for part or
all of journeys and advised passengers to seek staff assistance if needed.
Reese Proctor, 22, described his travel complications trying to attend a football match at Manchester’s Etihad Stadium. Unable to take a CrossCountry train from Reading, he drove over 100 miles to Leicester to then travel on to the stadium, adding two hours to his journey. He said, “If I couldn’t drive, or have [my friend] to drive… I wouldn’t have been able to go to the match. That would have been a waste of a match ticket.”
Many customers expressed frustration on social media, with one passenger calling
the service “utterly useless” and criticizing CrossCountry for cancelling trains without alternatives.
Official Responses and Restoration Efforts
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander expressed concern about the power outage and requested publicly owned rail operators to provide additional services where possible. She confirmed Network Rail dispatching power teams onsite at Birmingham to restore systems promptly, stating, “We’ve also sent Network Rail power teams who are onsite and working to restore power and systems as soon as possible.”
CrossCountry acknowledged ongoing disruption affecting nearly all services except the route between Peterborough, Cambridge, and Stansted Airport, which is operating near normally. A spokesperson said they are working closely with
partners and will provide updates as available, responding to inquiries about an immediate resolution with: “We would hope so, but at the moment we have no further updates.” The company apologized to affected passengers and confirmed acceptance of CrossCountry tickets by other operators.
National Rail provided compensation guidance, stating customers delayed by 30 minutes or more are eligible for Delay Repay. Passengers choosing not to travel can claim refunds. The organisation also reminded football fans that services might be overcrowded and advised contacting staff for assistance.
Compensation and Ticket Validity
CrossCountry extended the validity of Sunday tickets until Wednesday, enabling flexibility amid ongoing service
suspensions. Passengers delayed significantly can claim Delay Repay compensation, while those opting out of travel may receive refunds. National Rail’s accommodation of London Underground and West Midlands Metro services at no additional cost further aids affected travelers.
Efforts continue at the Birmingham control centre to restore power and railway management systems, but no timeline for full service resumption has been confirmed.
