UMVA has learned that a towering lorry slammed into a railway bridge on the West Coast Main Line, sending a massive section crashing down between Nuneaton and Rugby.
The impact ripped through the steelwork, forcing trains to reroute via Birmingham and leaving thousands of passengers stranded as services grind to a halt.
Lines have been partially reopened, but speeds are throttled and delays of up to ten minutes linger, with full normalcy not expected until midday on Friday.
Network Rail’s infrastructure director warned that the collision caused severe damage, and teams are racing to assess the bridge’s integrity while coordinating with train operators to keep any movement possible.
Travelers are urged to check the latest service updates, as many routes may start or terminate at either side of Nuneaton or Rugby, and some journeys may not run the full length.
Key services affected include Avanti West Coast routes linking Glasgow, Blackpool, Preston, Holyhead, Wrexham, Chester, Liverpool, Manchester, Crewe, Wolverhampton and London Euston; London Northwestern Railway between Crewe, Rugby, Northampton and London Euston; and Lumo services from Stirling to London Euston.
In response, Network Rail issued a stark reminder to drivers to verify vehicle height and cargo dimensions before setting out, emphasizing that careless routing endangers vital infrastructure.
As the investigation unfolds, passengers are left navigating a fragmented timetable, hoping the bridge can be repaired swiftly and safely.
