Train services between London Paddington and Heathrow Airport were suspended on Saturday following a grass fire near the railway tracks at Scrubs Lane in North Kensington. The blaze caused an electricity supply failure that blocked all lines used by the Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express, and Great Western Railway (GWR).
Timeline of Incident and Service Resumption
The London Fire Brigade received the fire call just after 4:10pm on Saturday. They deployed six fire engines and about 40 firefighters to contain the blaze. During the incident, 380 passengers stranded aboard an Elizabeth Line train were evacuated with the assistance of the fire service and Transport for London (TfL).
Services between London Paddington and Heathrow remained suspended on Saturday afternoon and evening. National Rail reported the disruption ended by Sunday morning, with train operations returning to normal.
Sunday Morning Engineering Works and Power Cut Impact
Pre-planned engineering works caused closures of all lines between London Paddington and Ealing Broadway early Sunday, with restrictions lasting until 7:40am. The Elizabeth Line services did not operate between these stations until after 7:40am when trains resumed on an amended timetable to Maidenhead and Reading. GWR services were also affected Sunday morning, operating a reduced local service between London Paddington, Reading, and Didcot Parkway. Additionally, a power cut at Manor Park led
to trains running non-stop between Ilford and Forest Gate, bypassing Manor Park station in the early hours.
Passenger Impact and Airport Disruptions
The Saturday fire caused significant disruption to travelers on the Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express, and GWR routes. Heathrow Airport advised passengers to allow additional travel time due to interruptions. The Piccadilly Line serving Heathrow also experienced delays during the same period. On Saturday, a separate grass fire on Heathrow’s airfield forced a temporary closure of the southern runway, leading to some flight diversions.
Official Responses and Service Updates
National Rail confirmed that the disruptions to the Elizabeth Line, Heathrow Express, and GWR services had ceased by Sunday morning.
Network Rail Western cautioned that some train services on Sunday could still face delays and cancellations due to train rescheduling caused by the Saturday incident. The London Fire Brigade reported the fire near Scrubs Lane had been extinguished successfully. Heathrow Airport apologized for the inconvenience caused by the fire and subsequent travel disruptions. GWR stated it was operating a good service across the majority of its network after the early disruptions.
