Thousands of rail commuters in Yorkshire and throughout Britain were stranded today when 31 high-speed electric trains were withdrawn for emergency checks - with no immediate prospect of their return.

The "grounding" followed yesterday's partial derailment of a London-Edinburgh train at Sandy, Bedfordshire, where a flaw in a carriage wheel was determined as the cause.

Some trains, including those checked at Neville Hill, Leeds, were being returned to service by noon today and a GNER spokesman said: "We are hoping that we will have all the trains back in service by tomorrow."

Train operator GNER said the cost of the decision in lost ticket sales for today alone was between £500,000 and £750,000.

The decision caused widespread chaos and provoked anger among countless passengers along the whole of the line between Edinburgh and London King's Cross, many of whom had no idea of the trouble until they arrived at their stations expecting to travel to business or leisure destinations.

A rail users' organisation for the North East today issued a statement regretting the disruption to passengers but applauding the rail operator's action.

York-based Great North Eastern Railway recalled the trains leaving only eight diesels trains to take the strain on a hastily-redrawn timetable and people were being advised not to travel with GNER today unless absolutely necessary.

A GNER spokesman said the company was hopeful of returning some of the electric trains into service by tomorrow, though it was not certain at this stage.

The 31 InterCity 225 electric trains were diverted to maintenance depots at Bounds Green just outside Kings Cross, Craig Entinny in Edinburgh and Neville Hill.

Ultrasonic tests are being carried out on the trains, which usually have eight coaches, each of which has eight wheels - a minimum of 1,984 wheels to check.

Engineers ordered the emergency action after discovering in the early hours the cause of the semi-derailment of a rear carriage on the 17.30 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh service yesterday evening.

No one was seriously injured in the accident but one person needed treatment for shock, said a British Transport Police spokesman.

The GNER service has been reduced, operating only between London and Newcastle. Passengers travelling further north to Edinburgh will be transported there from Newcastle by coach.

Ernie Preston, secretary of the North East England Rail Users' Consultative Committee, described the withdrawal of trains for checks as "a very wise move."

Information on all GNER services will be available from National Railway Inquiries on 0345 484950 and from GNER on 0345 225225.

Northern Spirit was today loaning trains to GNER to maintain a limited service on some routes.

The move enabled GNER to run services from Leeds to Kings Cross, London, and a service from Newcastle to Edinburgh.

Northern Spirit was running trains from York to Newcastle as scheduled.

Northern Spirit managing director Paul Davison said: "This is a clear example of the rail industry working together for the benefit of customers."

See COMMENT Passenger safety must come first

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