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Commuters trapped on Tube
Last updated at 00:00am on 24.06.05
Hundreds of rush-hour commuters were trapped underground for over an hour in sweltering temperatures today when a Tube train broke down.
Around 800 passengers were stranded below ground in temperatures that soared over 30C when a westbound Central line train broke down between Bank and St Paul's station.
Some passengers had to wait for over an hour before being led off to another train and taken to Bank station.
A spokesman for Transport for London said the train stalled in the tunnel just after 8.30am. The first group of passengers were led on to another train at around 9.20am and the final passengers were taken off the train just before 10am.
The spokesman said: "London Underground immediately instigated procedures to get people off the train.
"Because the train would not move, we brought another train to the defective one and took people off in two groups."
An investigation will be carried out by Central line operator Metronet, but it is thought the problem was caused by a broken airline which affects the train's brakes.
The spokesman said water and medical assistance was provided but no one is thought to have required treatment.
"We do not have any reports of anyone requiring medical assistance. We did have an ambulance there as a precaution as we always do in these situations.
"It does get hot down there and it does get hot on stalled trains," he said.
The eight-carriage train was packed with rush-hour commuters.
All westbound Central line services were suspended between Leytonstone and Marble Arch, causing severe disruption to rush-hour journeys.
The line reopened shortly after 10am but delays were expected throughout the morning, the spokesman said
