08 December 2023 , 17:59
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The train driver of a service which hit overhead wires last night - sparking significant delays on the Elizabeth Line - was allegedly a manager drafted in because of a strike.
Delays are expected on the line until at least 7pm tonight as power lines are still damaged near Paddington Station, Transport for London (TfL) says. Aslef, the union for train drivers, said today Great Western Railway (GWR) paid the operations investigations manager £500 for a short driving shift to keep services running last night.
However, severe disruption came yesterday - on the day drivers for GWR were on strike. James Blunt and Rachel Riley were among hundreds of passengers who were "trapped for hours" following the power failure.
People climb down onto the tracks near Paddington after being stranded on a train (X)Speaking today, a spokesperson Aslef said: "The problem is that many of these managers haven't driven a train for a long time and their competence is not what it should be. We saw the result yesterday.
"Significant damage to the railway infrastructure, passengers put at risk, and serious disruption to the rail network. But, I suppose, as an operations investigations manager, he is uniquely qualified to investigate his own actions and what went wrong."
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MailOnline reports overhead power cables came down while passengers were on board on a train in west London. Seven trains were stranded, operated by GWR, the Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express, it is understood.
Nearly 1,000 passengers were evacuated from trains which have come to an abrupt halt due to a power outage (UKNIP)GWR insisted the driver was "fully qualified with competence up to date' and that there was "absolutely no evidence" the overhead cable fault was due to a train. The incident led to chaos last night, a reduced service from 7am today though.
The Aslef strikes, meanwhile, continued today. On December 1, Aslef announced its members had voted overwhelmingly to continue strike action in their ongoing national dispute over pay.
Speaking in regarding to the union's claims about the Elizabeth Line challenges, GWR said: "The driver was fully qualified driver with competence up to date. The only people who can drive trains are competent drivers with route knowledge and competence maintained. As yet, there is absolutely no evidence the OHLE (overhead electric equipment) fault was due to a train."