This is a developing story — updates below as we get them.
Passengers on the Metropolitan line are facing a miserable Sunday after a fire on the tracks near Harrow-on-the-Hill brought a large stretch of the line to a halt.
London Underground has part-suspended the line between Wembley Park and Aldgate, and is warning of severe delays across the entire line. Disruption is expected to continue while the incident is dealt with, and there is no word yet on when a normal service will resume.
Follow our live blog below for the latest updates as we get them.
Latest updates — newest first
9.30am — Severe delays across the whole line
The latest information from London Underground is that the Metropolitan line remains part suspended between Wembley Park and Aldgate, with severe delays now reported across the entire line. If you are heading out this morning, check the TfL status page before you leave and allow plenty of extra time.
9.25am — Track fire at Harrow-on-the-Hill
The cause of this morning’s disruption is a fire on the tracks at Harrow-on-the-Hill, in north-west London. The cause of the blaze itself is not yet known. Track fires can damage signalling equipment and the power rails that trains draw on, which is why services have been stopped on the affected section while the area is made safe and inspected.
9.23am — Welcome to our live blog
Good morning, and welcome to London Streets’ live coverage of the disruption on the Metropolitan line. We will be keeping this page updated through the morning with the latest on the part-suspension, the delays, and the best alternative routes. Stay with us.
Which stations are affected?
The part-suspension covers the section between Wembley Park and Aldgate — meaning no Metropolitan line trains are running through some of the busiest interchanges in the capital. The closed stretch takes in Preston Road, Neasden, Dollis Hill, Willesden Green, Kilburn, West Hampstead, Finchley Road, Baker Street, Euston Square, Great Portland Street, King’s Cross St Pancras, Farringdon, Barbican, Moorgate, Liverpool Street and Aldgate.
On the rest of the line, trains are still running but with severe delays — so even if your station sits outside the suspended section, expect long waits on platforms and busier carriages than usual.
Alternative routes to try
If you are travelling between Wembley Park and central London, the Jubilee line is your best bet: it runs parallel to the Metropolitan line between Wembley Park and Finchley Road, then continues into the centre via Baker Street and Bond Street.
From Harrow-on-the-Hill itself, Chiltern Railways trains to London Marylebone offer another way into town — though it is worth checking departure boards before you set off, as they may be busier than usual. Local buses and the London Overground can also help bridge the gap, and the TfL Journey Planner will map out the best option for your specific journey.
What do ‘severe delays’ and ‘part suspended’ actually mean?
It is easy to mix up the two phrases TfL uses. Part suspended means no trains at all are running on that section of line — as is the case between Wembley Park and Aldgate this morning. Severe delays means trains are still running, but with very large gaps between them, so your wait could be far longer than the timetable suggests.
Metropolitan line passengers are, sadly, no strangers to this kind of morning. The line was partly suspended after a trespasser on the tracks at Chalfont & Latimer, while morning rush-hour chaos has previously hit both the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines. Elsewhere on the network, a signal fault at Gloucester Road left three Tube lines with severe delays.
Advice if you are travelling today
- Check the live TfL status page or the Journey Planner before you leave the house — the picture can change quickly while the incident is dealt with.
- Allow plenty of extra time, and be prepared for some stations to be much busier than usual.
- If your journey is not urgent, consider putting it off until services have recovered.
- Remember it is Sunday, so some alternative routes may also be affected by planned engineering works — check your whole journey, not just the Tube.
We will continue to update this live blog as more information comes in.
