London commuters had to endure a day of chaos and disruption after heavy rain caused widespread flooding
Part of the District Line and London Overground have been suspended all day, after heavy rain hit the capital’s transport network overnight.
There has been no District Line service between Turnham Green and Richmond, while the London Overground was also suspended between South Acton and Richmond.
The Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines were suspended all day between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge, but finally reopened shortly after 3pm. Severe delays continue to affect both lines.
Meanwhile National Rail is warning of flood-related disruption to Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express trains.
Commuters are also facing chaos on the roads due to flooding caused by the severe weather. A yellow weather warning remains in place across London until midnight, with heavy rain due late on Monday night.
Follow the latest developments below…
Key points
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Tube stations and Overground part-suspended due to flooding
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Flooding closes west London stations
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Heavy rain leaves London roads underwater
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Disruption between Waterloo and Woking/Barnes until 4pm
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M25 slip road in Surrey closed
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Delays on M4 and A4 due to flooding
Delays on three Tube lines and Overground
18:31 , Josh Salisbury
Delays are continuing on three Tube lines and the Overground due to a mix of flooding and train faults.
There is no service between Turnham Green and Richmond due to flooding caused by heavy rain on the District.
There are delays between Amersham and Moor Park due to train cancellations on the Metropolitan.
Minor delays are also being experienced on the Circle.
Meanwhile on the Overground there are delays between Willesden Junction and Stratford due to an earlier power supply problem.
Buses replacing trains north of London
17:45 , Josh Salisbury
Buses are replacing trains on a major rail route north of London, due to a last-minute timetable change.
A short-notice change to the timetable between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey means that most trains are unable to run between these stations from 6pm until the end of the day today.
Rail replacement buses will operate in place of cancelled services, says National Rail.
Waterloo disruption expected until 6.30pm
17:23 , Josh Salisbury
Lines have now reopened following a fault on a train at Clapham Junction, and passengers causing a disruption on a train between Raynes Park and Clapham Junction earlier today.
National Rail said as service recovers. trains running through this station may still be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.
Disruption is expected until 6.30pm.
Delays continue on several Tube lines
16:38 , Josh Salisbury
Minor delays are continuing on several Tube lines because of train cancellations and flooding.
The Central, Circle, District and Metropolitan Lines are all affected.
The Piccadilly is also experiencing severe delays between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge due to flooding caused by heavy rain.
Overground disruption now ended
16:23 , Josh Salisbury
Disruption following earlier flooding at Gunnersbury on the Overground has now ended, National Rail has said.
The incident had affected trains between Stratford and Richmond.
Flooding and train fault hits Waterloo commuter service
16:03 , Josh Salisbury
Disruption on South Western Railway trains from Waterloo is now expected until 5pm.
National Rail said lines have now reopened following a fault on a train at Clapham Junction but trains may still be cancelled, delayed by up to 20 minutes or revised.
Additionally, there was flooding in the Walton-on-Thames area earlier, again delaying trains or forcing cancellations.
The affected route is from Waterloo and Hampton Court / Strawberry Hill / Shepperton / Chessington South / Dorking / Guildford.
Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines reopen
15:19 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines have reopened at last, though severe delays continue to affect both lines.
The District Line and London Overground remain part-suspended due to flooding.
The District Line is shut between Turnham Green and Richmond, while there is no Overground service between South Acton and Richmond.
TfL says it is working to restore services ‘as quickly as possible’ as rush-hour chaos looms
15:00 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
TfL has apologised to customers as several Tube lines and the Overground remain part-suspended following last night’s downpours.
The Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines are expected to be back up and running imminently, but it is not yet clear when the District line and Overground will be fully open again.
With the evening rush-hour looming, it’s looking likely commuters will still be facing difficulties as they make their way home.
A TfL spokesperson said: “We apologise to customers for the disruption to their journeys. This was caused by heavy rain overnight, which has led to flooding across a number of our services and stations.
“We are working hard to ensure that our transport services are resilient in the face of wet weather and our engineers are working to restore a normal service as quickly as possible.
“We advise anyone travelling during periods of heavy rainfall to check before they travel in case of any disruption caused by flooding. Our staff are always available to help people get where they need to be.”
Underground and Overground remain part-suspended
14:19 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The District, Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines are still part-suspended due to flooding, as they have been all day.
There are no District Line trains running between Turnham Green and Richmond, while on the Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines no trains are running between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
The Overground is also part-suspended between South Acton and Richmond, while there are severe delays on the Bakerloo Line.
Flooding causes long delays at Blackwall Tunnel
14:04 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
There are currently long delays due to earlier flooding on the A102 Blackwall Tunnel northbound from Greenwich to Poplar, says traffic monitoring website Inrix.
All lanes are now open.
Sinkhole appears at London football stadium
13:25 , Jacob Phillips
A sinkhole has appeared on the pitch and flooded walkways at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, the home of AFC Wimbledon.
Dramatic drone footage shows a large section of the pitch has had to be covered in sand to try and solve the issue.
The club’s Tuesday night Carabao Cup third-round tie between AFC Wimbledon and Newcastle has been postponed due to flooding.
Further disruption possible as more flooding expected
13:02 , Jacob Phillips
More flooding could be set to hit London on Monday night as the capital braces for further heavy rain.
A yellow weather warning is in place across London and much of England until midnight on Monday, while some parts of the country are under a more severe amber warning that lasts until 9pm.
Monday brought some respite to Londoners, but patchy rain is expected in the capital in the afternoon, before growing more steady in the evening, the Met Office has warned.
Read more about the latest weather forecast here.
Tube stations shut due to flooding
12:49 , Jacob Phillips
Several tube stations remain shut due to flooding, Transport for London has warned.
Ruislip Manor station has been closed due to flooding caused by heavy rain.
Ruislip station has also been closed while TfL fix an electrical fault caused by flooding.
Stepney Green station is also closed due to a power fault
Traffic still queuing on A4 due to flooding
12:24 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Traffic is still queuing on the A4 in Hammersmith, between A316 and Barons Court Tube station.
LFB issues flood warning to drivers after firefighters rescued people trapped in cars
11:36 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
London Fire Brigade has shared a photo of a car submerged in floodwater in south London as it urged drivers to take care – with more heavy rain forecast.
LFB was called out 350 times overnight, to flooding in areas such as Ruislip, Uxbridge, Wimbledon and Carshalton.
They rescued people trapped in cars, helped people from their homes and responded to flooding in underground stations, roads, homes and businesses.
“Firefighters carried out multiple rescues involving people trapped in cars throughout the night,” said a spokesperson.
“If possible, please avoid driving into flooded water or a flooded area as vehicles can quickly become unstable in moving water.
“If you’re driving and your car becomes caught in flood waters, ensure you and your passengers unbuckle your seat belts and where possible climb out to safety.
“If you become trapped in your vehicle, turn on all the lights, including your hazard warning lights. Shout and sound your horn for help, and if you are able to reach your mobile, call 999.”
Underground and Overground remain part-suspended and severely delayed
10:51
A reminder that the Overground and three Tube lines are still part-suspended due to flooding.
The District Line is not running between Turnham Green and Richmond.
The Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines are suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
Meanwhile there is no Overground service between South Acton and Richmond.
There are also severe delays on the Bakerloo Line, and on the Metropolitan Line between Rayners Lane and Harrow-on-the-Hill.
Flooding causes long delays on M4 and A4 in west London
10:31 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Flooding is causing long delays on the M4 and A4 into London.
Traffic appears to be tailing back from near Barons Court Tube station on the A4, to M4 junction 1 (Chiswick Roundabout).
Congestion is also tailing back on the M4 to Heston Services, and along the A316 over Chiswick Bridge, says traffic monitoring website Inrix.
Some parts of England ‘could see month’s rainfall today’ – Met Office
10:23 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Met Office is warning some areas could experience more than a month’s worth of rain falling today.
The warning was made regarding the area under an amber warning, which is in place until 9pm across Herefordshire, Gloucestershire, and up towards the Wash and the Humber.
Met Office meteorologist Jonathan Vautrey said: the “This area in particular, during Monday, we could see over a month’s worth of rain falling.”
London is under a yellow weather warning, as is the majority of England.
Pictured: Homes hit by flooding in Hitchin
09:57 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Photos taken this morning show a firefighters pumping water from homes in Hitchin, which have flooded following yesterday’s heavy rain.
Residents have been pictured wading through water in wellington boots, carrying belongings from their homes.
‘Major’ disruption between Waterloo and Woking/Barnes until 2pm
09:25
“Major” disruption caused by a fault on a train at Clapham Junction and earlier flooding in the Walton-on-Thames area is expected to last until 2pm, says National Rail.
The following alterations are in place until further notice:
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London Waterloo to Hampton Court and Guildford via Cobham & Stoke d’Abernon services will run non-stop from London Waterloo to Surbiton in this direction only
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London Waterloo to Dorking / Chessington South / Shepperton via Kingston / Strawberry Hill via Kingston and Guildford via Epsom services will run non-stop from London Waterloo to Wimbledon in this direction only
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London Waterloo to Shepperton services will be diverted between Clapham Junction and Fulwell calling additionally at Strawberry Hill
‘Tornado’ filmed in Luton
09:11
A “tornado” was filmed in Luton yesterday as severe weather left streets submerged in floodwater and cars abandoned.
Footage captured debris swirling into the air around 4pm, as the heavy storm brought downpours that caused flash floods that closed roads.
Read more here.
Delays to Thameslink trains between Farringdon and St Pancras
08:55
Flooding on the railway between London St Pancras International and #Farringdon means trains are having to run at reduced speed on all lines, National Rail has just announced.
It says Thameslink trains running between these stations may be delayed by up to 20 minutes. Disruption is expected until 10am.
Bakerloo Line reopens with severe delays
08:49 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Bakerloo Line is now running again, having been part-suspended earlier this morning due to flooding. TfL is warning of severe delays, however.
Three other Tube lines, and the Overground, remain part-suspended.
The District Line is not running between Turnham Green and Richmond.
The Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines are suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge.
Meanwhile there is no Overground service between South Acton and Richmond, and there are severe delays on the Overground between Euston and Watford Junction.
Some areas have seen more than a month’s rain in 24 hours – Met Office
08:30 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Met Office says more than a month’s worth of rain fell in just 24 hours in some areas yesterday.
Sunday brought heavy rain to parts of England Wales – with more downpours expected throughout today, bringing disruption and flooding.
Take care as you head out on Monday morning – heavy rain could bring flooding and disruption for parts of England and Wales ⚠️
Cloudy for most of Northern Ireland and Scotland, with patchy rain arriving into the far north 🌂 pic.twitter.com/QMyUmiam5s
— Met Office (@metoffice) September 22, 2024
Environment Agency issues warning to drivers as ‘significant’ flooding expected
08:17 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The Environment Agency has warned of “significant surface water flooding” across parts of England today.
Flood duty manager Sarah Cook said: “The impacts could include localised flooding in urban areas…including some property flooding as well as travel disruption. The risk from river flooding remains low.
“Environment Agency teams are out on the ground and ready to support local authorities in responding to surface water flooding.
“We urge people to plan their journeys carefully, follow the advice of local emergency services on the roads and not to drive through flood water – it is often deeper than it looks and just 30cm of flowing water is enough to float your car.”
Disruption to Southeastern services expected until 10am
08:10 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Disruption to trains between Charing Cross and Hayes is expected to last until 10am, says National Rail.
Heavy rainfall in the area has flooded the railway, causing a signalling fault near Hayes.
Trains were earlier unable to run between Hayes and Eden Park. They can now run to and from Hayes and are no longer diverting to Orpington, but National Rail says services may be delayed by up to 10 minutes or revised until 10am.
🚨 We’re really sorry for the disruption to @Se_Railway passengers this morning after a night of heavy rainfall caused flooding on the #Hayes and #Hastings lines. At Wadhurst, the flooding has impacted signalling kit – the railway’s traffic lights – and we’ve got a flooded… pic.twitter.com/uuMzicoRL1
— Network Rail Kent & Sussex (@NetworkRailSE) September 23, 2024
Disruption between Waterloo and Wimbledon expected until midday
07:58 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
A fault on a train at Clapham Junction means some South Western Railway trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 25 minutes or revised this morning, says National Rail.
Trains between London Waterloo and Hampton Court / Strawberry Hill / Shepperton / Chessington South / Dorking / Guildford are affected.
Disruption is expected until midday. You can find more details here.
Amber and yellow weather warnings covering most of England
07:51 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Amber and yellow weather warnings are in place across most of England today – with the Met Office warning more than a month’s worth of rain could fall in affected areas.
After rain warnings in place all weekend, a fresh yellow alert came into effect at midnight and is set to last all of today. It is covering much of the south of England including London, as well as the Midlands, parts of Wales, and into north-west England and Yorkshire.
Elsewhere, a more severe amber warning came into force at 5am and will last until 9pm. That warning is covering Worcester, Birmingham, Nottingham and Hull.
Some affected areas could see 100 to 120mm of rain today, and forecasters warned there may be more warnings in the week ahead.
Overground expected to be disrupted until midday
07:36
The Overground between Stratford and Richmond is expected to be disrupted until midday, says TfL.
Heavy rain flooding the railway at Gunnersbury in west London means all lines through the area are currently closed.
“As a result, trains running between Stratford and Richmond may be cancelled or run between Stratford and South Acton only,” says TfL.
Flooding causing chaos on national rail lines
07:22
Today’s heavy rain is causing disruption to a number of national railway services.
Current weather disruptions are as follows:
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Disruption to Great Northern, Gatwick Express, Southern and Thameslink services
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Reduced service between Tunbridge Wells and Hastings
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Disruption between New Beckenham and Hayes
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Reduced service between Stratford and Richmond
We’ll be bringing you updates as we get them. More details are also available on National Rail’s website.
Cars and vans abandoned amid flash flooding in Bedfordshire
07:10 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Roads in Dunstable – a market town in Bedfordshire – have been left underwater following flash flooding that hit yesterday.
Photos and video show cars and vans abandoned on roads at least two feet deep in water.
Dunstable High Street was among multiple roads in Bedfordshire shut by police.
Resident Victoria Hooker shared footage on X of floodwater pouring into her cellar in Dunstable.
Bedfordshire Police said last night it was “aware of the multiple issues the weather is causing across the county”, adding: “All emergency services and council teams are working as quickly as possible to help those affected but our priority will be the vulnerable. Please stay clear of flooded roads and affected areas.”
Flooding causing chaos on Tube and Overground
06:56 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
A reminder that four Tube lines – the Bakerloo, District, Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines – are currently part-suspended because of flooding.
The Overground is also shut between South Acton and Richmond. There are severe delays on the Overground between Watford Junction and Euston.
The Bakerloo Line is shut between Queen’s Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, while there is no District Line running between Turnham Green and Richmond.
The Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines are suspended between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge,
Photos show water covering roads in Colliers Wood
06:51 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
Heavy rain overnight and this morning has left deep puddles covering pavements and roads across London.
Colliers Wood in Merton, south-west London, appears to be one of the worst-hit areas. Photos taken there this morning show motorists and cyclists trying to pick their way through roads inches-deep in floodwater.
Flooding shuts west London stations
06:45 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
TfL says Ruislip Manor station in west London is closed due to the flooding, while Ruislip station is also shut after the flooding caused an electrical fault.
M25 slip road in Surrey shut due to flooding
06:42 , Lydia Chantler-Hicks
The A3 northbound entry slip road from the M25 at the junction 10 roundabout at Wisley is closed due to flooding, says National Highways.
It says clearing the water “is expected to take some time” and is urging drivers to use different routes into London.
The #A3 northbound entry slip road from the #M25 J10 (#Wisley) roundabout is closed due to flooding following heavy rainfall.
We’re working to clear the water but this is expected to take some time.
Consider alternative routes into #London this morning. pic.twitter.com/dFvaW2lS0C
— National Highways: South-East (@HighwaysSEAST) September 23, 2024
Chaos on the Tube
06:35 , Michael Howie
It’s chaos on the TfL network this morning with flooding leaving four lines and the Overground partially suspended.
Flooding between Rayners Lane and Uxbridge has halted trains on the Piccadilly and Metropolitan lines.
Meanwhile the District line has no service between Turnham Green and Richmond, while the Bakerloo line is shut between Turnham Green and Richmond.
The London Overground is also suspended between South Acton and Richmond.
Good morning
06:34 , Michael Howie
Welcome to the Standard’s coverage of travel news on a very wet Monday morning.
We’ll bring you all the latest updates as commuters face an extremely difficult start to the day after a night of heavy rain.