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Thousands of rail passengers have described "nightmare" journeys, after being hit by delays and cancellations following a power failure at a Manchester signalling centre that caused major disruption across northern England .
According to Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the electrical failure at Manchester Rail Operating Centre occurred just before 14:00 BST and was part of a wider power supply outage in the Ardwick area.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said disruption was expected for the rest of the day and advised passengers to check trains before they travelled.
National Rail said at least eight rail operators remain affected on Thursday evening.
Alexander posted on X, external she was "sorry to hear passengers in the North West are affected by a power outage, with trains cancelled or delayed".
Manchester Rail Operating Centre was opened in July 2014 and houses all the controls to safely operate the railway in the region, including signalling.
According to Network Rail, its operational control boundary spans from Crewe in the south to Carlisle in the north, and from Todmorden in the east to the Welsh border in the west.
Sarah Nelson, who was unable to get to work in Manchester, was one of a number of affected passengers who told BBC Your Voice about their disruption.
She said she faced a "nightmare" five-hour round trip to just get back to her home in Blackpool.
The remedial massage therapist's train was stuck at Horwich Parkway for more than 90 minutes.
Chris, a technology consultant, travelled to Manchester from Scotland on Wednesday on business.
He said he would likely book a hotel for the night, despite the expense and inconvenience, describing the delay as "costly, inconvenient... frustrating".
"We're still being told there is no power to any of the trains, no electricity - and they don't expect anything to run today until the end of the day," he said.
"I will have to get a hotel here and see if I can get home tomorrow."
A couple returning from a trip to Gibraltar were planning to get a train home to Clitheroe, Lancashire, after landing at Manchester Airport.
But Matt and Sarah had to book an Uber to take them home instead, adding it was "costing a fortune".
Stacey was among passengers who were evacuated from a train that stopped prematurely in Manchester when signalling failed.
The 38-year-old office worker, who was travelling from Deansgate to Leyland, Lancashire, paid £60 for a taxi home.
"The train stopped when the signals went," she said, praising the "phenomenal" staff for their "calm and professional" efforts organising a controlled evacuation from the viaduct.
As of 20:00 BST, National Rail have issued the latest updates regarding disruption:
- Avanti West Coast said services between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly may be delayed, cancelled or diverted
- CrossCountry advised services can now run from Manchester, but there may still be "knock-on delays"
- East Midlands Railway says to not travel between Sheffield and Liverpool Lime Street, adding disruption remains between Liverpool and Nottingham/Norwich
- London Northwestern Railway says rail replacement buses are in operation between Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe, and between Crewe and Birmingham New Street
- Lumo's 13:19 train from London Euston to Stirling is running 42 minutes late after being delayed at Preston
- Northern said do not travel, as its services are unable to run on all routes in the north west of England and Greater Manchester
- TransPennine Express also advises against travel on its services as there are cancellations on all routes
- Transport for Wales says services to Manchester Picadilly - and between Liverpool Lime Street - may be cancelled or delayed.
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