Fire next to railway tracks causes cancellations

A fire next to a railway track is causing cancellations and delays to rail services.

All lines running through Winsford station in Cheshire have been closed due to a blaze and major disruption is expected for the rest of the day, National Rail said.

Affected routes are Avanti West Coast between London Euston and Liverpool Lime Street, Preston, Glasgow Central and Edinburgh as well as the London Northwestern Railway between Birmingham New Street and Liverpool Lime Street.

National Rail said trains running between Crewe and Runcorn and Warrington Bank Quay may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes, revised or diverted.

Avanti West Coast said tickets will be accepted at no extra cost on the following routes:

• Northern services between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly and also between Manchester Piccadilly and Preston
• TransPennine Express services between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly
• Transport for Wales between Chester and Manchester Piccadilly

For affected journeys between Crewe and Liverpool Lime Street, Glasgow Central, or Edinburgh, tickets dated today can be used to travel on Sunday.

For passengers on cancelled trains, the ticket is valid on one of the two Avanti West Coast services immediately before the train booked, or one of the two immediately after.

If passengers no longer wish to travel because their train has been delayed or cancelled, they can ask for a refund from where they bought tickets, Avanti West Coast said.

London Northwestern Railway said customers can use tickets at no extra cost, on Northern and Merseyrail services between Liverpool South Parkway and Liverpool Lime Street.

A bus shuttle service is operating between Crewe and Liverpool South Parkway in both directions, National Rail said.

Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.