Eurostar services to resume as passengers advised to postpone their journey

Eurostar services are expected to resume later on Tuesday after an earlier power failure saw the Channel Tunnel closed.

The passenger rail operator previously said all of its London to Europe services for the day were cancelled, but it later said trains would resume after the tunnel was partially reopened.

However it urged customers to rebook travel for a different date and not to come to London St Pancras station if their train’s cancellation was confirmed.

A problem with the overhead power supply and a failed LeShuttle train blocked all routes earlier on Tuesday, causing travel chaos for thousands trying to get away to celebrate the new year.

In a statement, Eurostar said: “As the Channel Tunnel has partially reopened we will start to resume services.

“The overhead power supply issue remains, and we strongly advise all our passengers to postpone their journey to a different date.

“Please don’t come to the station if your train is confirmed as cancelled.

“We regret that trains that can run will be subject to severe delays and possible last-minute cancellations.

“Please check for live updates on the status of your train on the train status and timetables page.”

LeShuttle is also affected, but the operator said earlier on Tuesday its services between Folkestone and Calais were resuming while warning of six-hour delays at the Folkestone terminal.

The Channel Tunnel accommodates Eurostar services as well as LeShuttle vehicle-carrying trains between the UK and France.

In an update on Tuesday afternoon, Getlink, which operates the Channel Tunnel, said services were expected to resume gradually for LeShuttle passengers from around 2pm.

“An incident related to the power supply to trains occurred last night in part of the Channel Tunnel, affecting train and shuttle traffic,” a spokesperson said.

“A technical intervention is required, which is currently under way.

“The service is temporarily suspended in both directions.

“Our teams are working to restore the situation as quickly as possible. Waiting times will be adjusted throughout the day.

“Eurotunnel apologises for the inconvenience and thanks its customers for their patience and understanding.”

A Eurostar staff member at St Pancras station in central London told passengers earlier all trains were cancelled.

“Today, nothing at all,” she added.

Another member of staff was seen handing out water bottles to people waiting by a cordon.

Cars hoping to cross the Eurotunnel caused traffic jams on the approach to the Folkestone terminal.

LeShuttle passenger Tim Brown said he had been stuck in his car on the train at the Calais terminal for more than three hours with “no access to food or water”.

Mr Brown, who is trying to get back to the UK after spending Christmas in Germany, is travelling with his dogs Rilo and Vinnie who he said are “hating life” stuck on the train.

“The fact that nobody has come around offering everybody a bottle of water is what has shocked me the most,” he said.

“I know things happen, but surely that would be an easy way to help.”

A man travelling to Paris for New Year’s Eve with his partner said “we’ll have to put romance on hold”, after their Eurostar train was cancelled.

John Paul, from Peterborough, was bought the trip as a surprise Christmas present from his partner Lucy and said they had spent five hours on a Paris-bound train before it unexpectedly returned to London.

Speaking at King’s Cross St Pancras, the 46-year-old said: “We left on the seven o’clock train this morning, we were sat on the train for about an hour, I think, waiting to leave from here, and then we got probably about an hour down the track, maybe 40 minutes, and then they basically said the train’s got to stop because the train ahead got a braking issue.

“They kept telling us that the driver was trying to fix the brakes on this other train and that the other trains were then backed up and that was basically the same story that we were told all the way through.

“I think the thing is, at the minute there’s no clear information and obviously we’ve lost a lot of money, haven’t we?”

Mr Paul said they had a river cruise in Paris and the Eiffel Tower booked for Tuesday evening, adding: “We’ll have to put romance on hold for a while.”

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said on Tuesday afternoon: “Eurotunnel is working with operators to resume some services while repairs to overhead electrical cables in the Channel Tunnel are ongoing, however significant disruption is likely for the remainder of the day.

“We are working with Eurotunnel, Eurostar and the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum to minimise disruption for passengers.

“Passengers are encouraged to check with their operator for updates and guidance.”