Rail passengers in Hampshire are facing train chaos today after tracks were damaged in Hampshire.

Emergency engineering works at Brockenhurst - Network Rail say the lines are blocked and that there was an electrical fault  - mean there was no service from Southampton Central to Bournemouth. 

A limited bus service is running from Southampton Airport Parkway to Brockenhurst, with a shuttle train running a circular route from Brockenhurst to Weymouth and back.

The line has now reopened and the damage is understood to have been caused by a track machine.

Some delays are expected to continue into the afternoon.

 


 

Brockenhurst College students have been affected by the delays as some have got A-level exams today. 

GiGi Chen said she was trying to get to an exam and was worried she wasn't going to make it.

Natasha Maceaganmire, 18, said she was going to be late for her government and politics exam today. "I'm not happy but it happens," she added. 

Jan Stevens, from Bournemouth, said: "I'm meant to be picking up my granddaughter in Birmingham this afternoon and taking her to a gym lesson and I don't think I'm going to get there now."

And Valerie Omera said she was trying to get home to Birmingham but couldn't: "It's very frustrating."

Elisa Jones, from Bournemouth, said it was her birthday today and she was planning to go to London. She said: "It's a nightmare, this is just ridiculous. We're going to go home and drive up now because it will be quicker."

Janet Jackson, 69, and Mary Drury, 80, from Winchester have come to Bournemouth for a day at the beach.

Mrs Jackson said: "It's taken us an hour and ten minutes longer to get to Bournemouth from Winchester.

"It's really quite tedious and there have been no clear instructions about where replacement buses are going."

Melina Vinci, who had been travelling from London, said: "I was one of the lucky ones as I managed to get on the first carriage of the train leaving Brockenhurst, but I know other passengers had to wait longer.

"It's just a hassle, though," she added.

And Brenda Brown from Fleet said although the delays had been a "nuisance", train staff and replacement bus drivers had been "kind and helpful".