Mourners miss out due to rail delays

THOUSANDS of mourners missed the Queen’s funeral yesterday after being stranded by rail cancellations.

Damaged power cables caused all trains between Reading and Paddington station in west London to be cancelled from 6.30am. More than a million people were expected to pour into London and rail bosses said the network was ready for one of its busiest days ever.

But disruption to Great Western Railway, Heathrow Express and – ironically – Elizabeth line services was set to last all day.

Gaby Thomas, 29, who travelled from Castle Cary, Somerset, with her father, said: ‘We were meant to arrive in Paddington at about 8.30am. We are still hoping to catch the end of the procession. It’s a typical British thing to happen.’

Barry Boffy, ex-head of inclusion and diversity at British Transport Police, was invited to Westminster Abbey after being awarded an MBE this year – but his train from Bristol was cancelled at Slough.

He said: ‘It is still a huge honour and privilege just to have been invited, so I will treasure that – the memory of the opportunity to have been there.’