Great Western Coffee Shop

Thousands of rail passengers across south Wales were facing delays and disruption after a double lightning strike on trackside signals.

The rail line between Cardiff and Bridgend was closed after lightning hit a signalling mast and other equipment.

Arriva Trains Wales said services were being diverted via the Vale of Glamorgan line through Barry but it was having a knock-on effect on services.

It is too early to say if engineers will reopen the line on Thursday.

The Arriva Trains Wales website was reporting severe delays on five of the company's valleys services as Wednesday's rush-hour was under way.

These were in addition to the extended journey times and replacement bus services provided for passengers between Cardiff and Bridgend.

The bus services for travel to Pencoed, Llanharan and Pontyclun were brought in after the lightning strike early in the day.

Delays have affected passengers travelling on First Great Western (FGW) services as far west as Pembrokeshire as well as those travelling through Cardiff Central on Arriva services.

Network Rail and BT engineers were working in to Wednesday evening to see if the signalling equipment could be repaired in time for the morning, said Arriva spokesman, Eryl Jones. He said: "It is having a knock-on effect on Valley Lines services. It's not for want of trying.

"Initially there were no trains between Cardiff and Bridgend. Network Rail have been working all day. They managed to get one track open in one direction between Cardiff and Bridgend but it's still having a knock-on effect on services."

He said engineers were hoping to have repaired the damage in time for services to resume as normal on Thursday.

A separate signalling problem at Craven Arms is causing severe delays on Heart of Wales lines services between Swansea and Shrewsbury on Wednesday evening, according to Arriva's website.

The delays come as weather forecasters predict Wales will be hit by the first proper snow of the winter by Friday.

Arriva and FGW services resume in south Wales after lightning strikes

Rail services across south Wales are returning to normal for the evening rush hour after engineers fixed signal failures caused by a lightning strike.

The double lightning strike early on Wednesday initially closed the track between Cardiff and Bridgend.

It brought more than 24 hours' delay and disruption to First Great Western services west of Cardiff with a knock-on effect for Valley Lines services.

Network Rail said the damage has been repaired and normal schedules resumed.

A spokeswoman said: "Damaged signalling equipment on the railway near Miskin has been fully repaired with normal timetable being re-implemented. Whilst there will still be some minor delays as the services ease back, passengers should expect full services between Cardiff and Bridgend before the peak travel period starts."

The resumption of normal services marks the end of more than 24 hours of delays and disruption for thousands of rail passengers across the region.

It had been hoped damage to signal equipment in the Llantrisant area at about midnight on Wednesday would have been repaired by 04:00 GMT on Thursday.

Arrive Trains Wales (ATW) said Network Rail and BT engineers had worked through the night, but the problem had not been fixed when Thursday morning's rush hour began.

As a result the line between Cardiff and Bridgend remained closed, and an emergency train plan introduced.

All normal Bridgend to Cardiff services via the Vale of Glamorgan were cancelled and replaced by the Manchester to Carmarthen/Milford services, which were diverted via the Vale of Glamorgan line, calling at Rhoose, Llantwit Major and Barry.

The emergency plan was brought in after ATW reported severe delays on five of the company's Valley Lines services during Wednesday evening's rush hour.

Delays affected passengers travelling on First Great Western (FGW) services as far west as Pembrokeshire as well as those travelling through Cardiff Central on Arriva services.

Network Rail - which owns and operates the railways - had earlier said its engineers had been working round the clock since the incident and to restore services.

Temporary signals were put in place to allow some trains through Cardiff and Bridgend on Wednesday.