Travel chaos with massive Northern and TransPennine train cancellations after £100,000 theft brings lines to halt

Trains around Greater Manchester have been cancelled today after a theft worth £100,000 on the railway lines. Travel bosses have issued a warning as a host of major services in and around Greater Manchester cannot run.

The routes that will be affected today (Sunday, December 28) include Blackpool North to Preston in both directions, where fewer trains are able to run and limited replacement road transport will replace the rail services.

Preston to Bolton and Manchester stations, in both directions, is another affected route. Trains are unable to run until approximately 6pm, with limited replacement road transport in operation between Preston and Manchester Piccadilly.

Services between Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport, in both directions, will be also affected as fewer trains are able to run, and limited replacement road transport will run between these stations.

The cancellations and replacements follow high voltage cables worth £100,000 being stolen between Wigan and Bolton.

Yesterday, the M.E.N. reported how engineers discovered that the cable was missing when they arrived to carry out work in the Lostock area of Bolton over the Christmas period.

It comes as part of the £1m works to electrify the line between Wigan and Bolton, which began in 2022. The cable provides power to the overhead line equipment, which in turn powers electric trains across the tracks.

The theft was carried out just one week before the line was due to be energised for the first time, on New Year’s Day. Network Rail bosses say the cable now needs to be refitted and tested again.

Rail bosses say they are working with police to 'find and prosecute those responsible.' Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s capital delivery director, apologised