Heavy rainfall overnight has caused significant flooding across the East Midlands Railway network, bringing train services between Derby and Nottingham to a halt.
The disruption also affects other major routes, including Sheffield to London and Nottingham to Skegness.
Flooded tracks have forced the suspension or delay of trains on several routes, with Network Rail currently monitoring water levels at affected sites.
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East Midlands Railway has warned of a reduced timetable and limited capacity on operational trains for the rest of the day.
Passengers are advised to check their journeys before travelling. Tickets dated for today can be used tomorrow, and arrangements have been made for ticket acceptance on alternative routes, including services by CrossCountry, Thameslink, and Northern Rail. Rail replacement buses are running on some routes but remain limited due to unsafe road conditions.
For updates and travel advice, passengers can visit the National Rail website. There is no current estimate for when services will resume as flooding continues to impact the network.
Routes and journeys affected by flooding
The heavy rainfall has flooded tracks across the EMR network, impacting the following services:
•Sheffield/Nottingham/London: Trains between these major cities are experiencing significant delays, with some services cancelled entirely.
•Newark/Nottingham/Derby/Crewe: This route is heavily affected, with cancellations and altered timetables.
•Matlock/Derby/Nottingham: Services on this popular local route are currently suspended or delayed.
•Liverpool Lime Street/Nottingham/Norwich: Long-distance services have been disrupted, with passengers advised to seek alternative routes.
•Nottingham/Grantham/Skegness: Trains to and from Skegness are severely delayed due to flooding along the line.
What caused the disruption?
Heavy and persistent rain overnight led to flooding on tracks at multiple locations. Network Rail teams are closely monitoring water levels but have stated there is no estimate yet for when the affected lines will reopen. Flooding like this can damage infrastructure, requiring extensive checks and repairs before trains can run safely.
Alternative travel options
Passengers with tickets dated for today can use them to travel tomorrow instead. For those needing to travel today, arrangements have been made for tickets to be accepted on alternative routes with other train operators.
Passengers can use the following services:
•CrossCountry: Between Nottingham and Derby, Derby and Birmingham, and Birmingham and Stoke-on-Trent.
•Thameslink: Between London St Pancras and Bedford, and London Kings Cross and Peterborough.
•London Underground: For journeys within London.
•Greater Anglia: Between Peterborough and Norwich, and London Liverpool Street and Norwich.
•Northern Rail: Covering routes between Sheffield and Doncaster, Manchester and Liverpool, and Sheffield and Leeds.
•TransPennine Express: Various services between Liverpool, Manchester, Sheffield, Cleethorpes, and Leeds.
•Avanti West Coast: Covering routes between London Euston and Manchester or Liverpool Lime Street.
Rail replacement buses are running on some routes, but services remain limited due to unsafe road conditions in flood-affected areas. Passengers are strongly advised to check updates on the National Rail website before travelling.
How does this affect travel?
East Midlands Railway has confirmed it will run a reduced timetable on affected routes for the remainder of the day. Operational services are likely to be busier than usual due to limited capacity. Passengers are encouraged to seek alternative travel routes wherever possible to avoid overcrowding.
While some areas have seen rail replacement buses deployed, road conditions in parts of the network have made it unsafe to provide consistent bus services. Network Rail and EMR are working to restore services as soon as the flooding recedes and safety checks are completed.
Looking ahead
At this stage, it is unclear when normal services will resume, as flooding is still affecting multiple parts of the network. Passengers can expect ongoing delays and cancellations throughout the day. Those planning to travel tomorrow are advised to monitor updates, with a full service expected to resume once water levels subside and infrastructure checks are completed.
For the latest information, visit the National Rail website or check with East Midlands Railway for real-time updates on services.
