Paddington station was brought to a standstill by an intruder; passengers were waiting at the station for delayed trains.
“Absolute chaos” broke out at London station this evening after an intruder entered the tracks during the Notting Hill Carnival, resulting in all platforms being blocked.
It comes as Millions of revelers came to the West London to enjoy the Notting Hill Carnival.
Passengers have posted photos showing large crowds gathering at the station. Some passengers can also be seen standing on delayed trains.
National Rail reported that at least one train had been cancelled and two others were delayed due to “track trespassers”. Trains between Heathrow Airport and Paddington were delayed by up to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, Great Western Railway said trains were running at “reduced speeds” between Reading and Paddington due to damage to the overhead lines.
There may be delays in train traffic between these stations. The disruptions are expected to last until 7:30 p.m.
Due to damage to the overhead line between Reading and London Paddington, trains must travel at reduced speed on all routes. Train services to and from these stations may be delayed. Disruptions are expected until 7:30 p.m. 25.08. Disruptions are expected until 7:30 p.m.
Paddington station has come to a standstill due to a trespassing incident. Passengers wait at the station for delayed trains.
Crowds were seen waiting for delayed trains in London Paddington this evening. Pictured: A post by @obbsie
Thousands of people crowd the streets on the first day of this year’s Notting Hill Carnival
There are also reports of significant delays on the Elizabeth Line. There was no service between Bond Street and Reading or Heathrow Airport due to a blockage in the overhead wires.
On social media, people are complaining about delays on their way to and from the train station.
One person wrote: “What’s going on in Paddington? No one can hear the announcements, just blank boards. The app still says everything is normal but that’s clearly not the case.”
Another person wrote: “Paddington is going to be HELL! No Lizzy line towards the city centre.”
Notting Hill is one of the longest running street festivals in the UK, celebrating Caribbean culture with colourfully costumed performers taking part in a parade of dance and music through the streets.
However, the large influx of people to Notting Hill and the surrounding area is pushing London’s transport network to its limits, causing disruptions at surrounding tube stations and the closure of certain roads.
MailOnline has compiled a complete list of all the travel disruptions that festival-goers may face when arriving at and departing from Carnival.
London Underground
Some of the nearest stations are closed today or have drop-off only. Instead, Transport for London (TfL) is asking those travelling to the area by Tube to travel to Paddington Station and take the short 20-minute walk to Notting Hill.
Stations such as Ladbroke Grove are completely closed. Notting Hill Gate is exit-only for the Central Line between 11am and 6pm, and the Circle and District Line platforms are closed all day today.
Other nearby stations such as Holland Park and Royal Oak are also drop-off only stations. Holland Park closes at 3pm and Royal Oak closes at 6pm.
Notting Hill is one of the oldest street festivals in the UK and celebrates Caribbean culture with colourfully costumed performers taking part in a parade of dancing and music through the streets.
Some of the nearest stations are closed today or accessible only for alighting. Instead, Transport for London (TfL) is asking those travelling to the area by Tube to travel to Paddington Station and take the short 20-minute walk to Notting Hill (symbol image).
Notting Hill Gate is an exit only for those on the Central Line between 11am and 6pm and the Circle and District Line platforms are closed all day today.
Latimer Road will be closed at 11.30pm but may also be closed for short periods during the day.
And Westbourne Park station will be open for disembarkation only from 11am and will close at 11.30pm. Due to the station’s proximity to today’s events, TfL recommends that travellers use other stations where possible.
Transport for London (TfL) stated: “For the easiest and least crowded journey to Notting Hill Carnival, we recommend customers take the London Underground or Elizabeth Line to Paddington station, as the carnival is just a 20-minute walk away.”
“The Bakerloo, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines and the Elizabeth line offer disabled access, and the District line also serves the station.”
Bus diversions
London buses operating during Carnival have been diverted. A full list of affected bus routes can be found here.
During the Notting Hill Carnival, two carnival buses transport partygoers to the festival and back.
The 7X bus runs between East Action and Paddington three times an hour between 1pm and 9pm, stopping at all stops outside Latymer Upper School Playing Fields and then runs as an express bus, stopping only at tube stations.
TfL operates several carnival bus routes to transport revelers to and from the carnival
The 36X bus will run every 10 minutes from Peckham town centre towards Elgin Avenue between 12pm and 6pm. From Vauxhall it will operate as an express bus to the carnival.
Road closures
Numerous roads will be closed in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and in Westminster from 6am today until 6am on Tuesday 27 August.
Elsewhere in London, there are minor delays on the Jubilee Line. Partial closures on the London Overground and Piccadilly Line. And a reduced service on the Docklands Light Rail.
