Moment passengers were forced to haul their luggage across rail tracks after electrical fault stopped Stansted Express train on the hottest day in UK history

• More than 100 travellers had to make journey to Broxbourne station by foot 
• Passengers on train to London Liverpool Street alighted through driver’s cab
• British Transport Police then ushered the crowd to walk between rail tracks
• Travellers wheeled their holiday luggage over ballast and sleepers on ground

Rail passengers were forced to haul their luggage alone train tracks after a Stansted Express service stopped between stations during Britain’s hottest day on record.

An extraordinary video shows more than 100 travellers having to make the journey to the nearest station, Broxbourne, by foot on Tuesday as temperatures hit 40C (104F).

With the carriage doors locked shut amid electrical supply problems, the passengers on the train to London Liverpool Street had to depart through the driver’s cab.

The clip showed one woman struggling with how to descend from the cab during the incident at 6pm, with staff helping her to place her feet correctly on the steps.

British Transport Police then ushered the crowd to walk between the rail tracks while they wheeled all their holiday baggage over the ballast and sleepers on the ground.

One of the officers could be heard saying: ‘Can I ask you to step in between the running lines please’ and ‘stay over here, I need you staying within these lines.’

He was also heard telling a passenger: ‘Excuse me, I know it’s a great photograph, I need you within the running line.’ And another officer said: ‘Come on, we’ll go on TikTok later, we’ll all do a dance and it’ll all be happy, come on.’

Passengers ended up at Broxbourne station in Hertfordshire with some getting on a replacement bus – while others chose to pay extra for taxis for a quicker journey.

Speaking today, Gloria Reina, 35, a passenger on the train, said: ‘We were coming back from our holiday in Madeira in Portugal. We jumped on the first train heading to Liverpool Street and then, in the middle of the journey, the train just stopped.

The video starts with passengers on the Stansted Express train waiting for more information

One passenger filmed a clip from inside the train looking at travellers already on the track

The passengers had to depart through the driver’s cab and were helped off one by one

One woman appeared to struggle with where to put her feet but was eventually able to alight

‘The lights went off, the air-con went off, the lights by the doors went off. They were trying to get the train back on for 20 to 25 minutes before they told us we were going to have to get off. The next station was about 300 metres away. They said the power was not working in the area so the train couldn’t get us there. 

‘They told us a bus would be coming to get us, but after the whole journey from getting on the train to getting home was approaching five hours, we decided to spend another £40 on a taxi. This was an expense we weren’t expecting. I was more worried for the kids – there were a lot of kids. And people with huge suitcases. 

‘We were given tap water which was good in the heat, but it was very warm. It was so hot, almost 40C. We were sweating a lot and definitely needed water.’

Gloria posted about the incident on TikTok yesterday where her videos have attracted almost 190,000 views. Hundreds of viewers left comments – with one saying: ‘I was on this train. The whole endeavour getting home was hell.’

Record temperatures in the UK caused havoc for rail companies this week, with mass cancellations and scenes of chaos at London King’s Cross and Euston.

Passengers had to walk along the train tracks to get to the nearest station, Broxbourne

A British Transport Police officer directs passengers to walk within the rail lines on the track

Passengers eventually got to Broxbourne station where a bus replacement service was put on

A Greater Anglia spokesman told MailOnline: ‘We are very sorry for the disruption on Tuesday. There were several issues across our network caused by the extreme weather, which was not unexpected given the very high temperatures experienced.

‘The predicted conditions were why we issued advice to ask passengers not to travel unless their journeys were essential and to be prepared for delays, given the speed restrictions which were imposed to ensure safe ongoing operation of the network and the likelihood of heat-related problems, on what proved to be the hottest day ever recorded in the region and the wider UK.

‘Trains were disrupted by electrical supply problems in the Broxbourne area from around 5.30pm onwards on Tuesday. The 4.57pm Stansted Airport to London Liverpool Street service was unable to proceed and passengers were safely evacuated from the train.

‘Staff from Greater Anglia, Network Rail and British Transport police assisted with the evacuation, and passengers were escorted on a very short walk to Broxbourne station. People who travelled on this train are entitled to delay repay compensation and we would encourage them to contact us direct.’

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