Why did London Midland train derail at Watford Junction and how are London Euston services affected?
The 6:19am London Midland service derailed at around 7am
COMMUTERS are facing chaos this morning after a train derailed near Watford Junction.
The 6:19am London Midland service from Milton Keynes to London Euston came off the tracks at around 7am, near the tunnels at Watford Junction station - but there are no reports of any injuries.
According to Virgin Trains' Twitter account, the accident occurred when the train hit a landslide, causing it to strike another train and derail.
As a result, London Midland, Southern and Virgin services from the north-west of England, Scotland, the South East and the Midlands will severely disrupted all day.
The landslide occurred because of the torrential rain that battered the UK overnight - causing flash flooding and severe rush hour disruption.
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Heavy downpours can cause landslides, as when sloped areas of land become completely saturated, the soil can simply run off as it contains too much water.
Affected Routes
Virgin Trains: All services to and from London Euston
London Midland: All services to and from London Euston
Southern: Services between Milton Keynes Central and East Croydon
Two of the four lines affected have now reopened at a reduced speed - but journeys are still expected to be delayed by up to an hour, changed or cancelled completely.
Customers are allowed to use their tickets on reasonable routes provided by other train companies - but London Midland are advising customers to abandon their journeys unless completely necessary.