An electric locomotive train that derailed at Bletchley caused major disruption to travellers on one of Britain's busiest rail lines.
Services between Milton Keynes and London Euston were cancelled during the morning rush hour after the train came off the tracks at Bletchley in Buckinghamshire overnight.
Currently, much reduced services are operating between London Euston and Tring with bus connections to Milton Keynes for services northwards.
The train that came off the tracks south of Milton Keyes was not carrying any freight, and only the driver was on board. He sustained minor injuries.
However the train caused widespread damage to the infrastructure of the West Coast Mainline Service where it derailed and it is unlikely that repairs to the remaining lines will be completed today owing to the scale of the accident.
Robin Gisby, Network Rail managing director, network operations, said: “Unfortunately there is quite substantial damage to the tracks and overhead lines following this morning’s incident. Our engineers have been on site since the small hours to assist investigators and are now carrying out repairs to the tracks and overhead lines which have been damaged.
“We hope to have two of the four lines open by the early afternoon, though it is likely that severe disruption will continue for the remainder of the day as we work to repair the more significant damage."
Rail operators Virgin Trains, Southern and London Midland advised passengers to seek alternative routes until the line was cleared.