Stansted Express services were brought to a halt today as Storm Boelo swept across Britain, as a fallen tree blocked railway tracks and damaging overhead electric wires near Stansted Airport.
Passengers have been warned not to travel for the rest of the day after the incident forced the closure of Greater Anglia lines between Bishops Stortford and Stansted Airport, disrupting Stansted Express services between London Liverpool Street and the airport, as well as trains running to Cambridge North.
The disruption comes as Storm Boelo batters large parts of the UK, with Scotland, Northern Ireland, Wales and northern England bearing the brunt of the severe weather. Despite conditions being less extreme in the South East, transport networks have still been hit by fallen trees, strong winds and hazardous conditions.
Rail operators across Britain have issued warnings as the storm continues to cause widespread travel difficulties.
Avanti West Coast said no timetable changes are currently planned today but urged passengers to check before travelling. The operator has advised customers to avoid journeys north of Preston on Sunday.
Great Western Railway is running replacement coach services between Okehampton and Exeter St Davids, Barnstaple and Exeter St Davids, and between Par and Newquay. The company warned that road conditions could cause delays, while long-distance services to Devon and Cornwall will only operate between Reading and Plymouth.
LNER said services are running normally today and will continue as scheduled between London King's Cross and Doncaster or Leeds on Sunday. However, routes further north are expected to face disruption.
ScotRail has warned of cancellations across its entire network from 9pm tonight, with passengers able to use today's tickets tomorrow or on Monday.
TransPennine Express has urged customers to travel only if their journey is essential both today and tomorrow, with a reduced timetable planned for Sunday.
Meanwhile, electricity engineers continue efforts to restore power to homes affected by the storm. The National Grid said supplies have been restored to 117,320 properties, although around 7,000 customers remain without electricity.
More than 6,400 of the homes still awaiting reconnection are in the South West.
Amy Webb, chief operating officer at National Grid, said: “We have teams on the ground assessing damage, making repairs and restoring supplies, and we'll keep going until everyone is reconnected.
"We've had fantastic support from the communities where our teams are working. We're very grateful for that patience and understanding while our engineers continue the job of getting everybody back on supply."
Forecasters have warned that further disruption remains possible as Storm Boelo continues to move across the UK over the weekend.