Train fire at Portchester station causes disruption on the railway

Crews from Fareham, Portchester and Cosham fire stations attended the incident around 5.45pm.

It was reported a ‘small diesel’ fire had broken out on a train before it was decided to take it to Portchester station before the service then moved it to Fareham station.

‘It was decided to split the train to put out a small diesel fire so the train was taken to Portchester but there was not enough room to do it there so it was taken to Fareham instead,’ a firefighter from Fareham said.

‘It really wasn’t much – certainly not the incident it sounded like.’

A South Western Railway statement said: ‘Due to a train fault at Fareham the Southampton bound line is blocked. Train services running through this station may be cancelled, delayed or revised.

‘We have been informed that a train has developed a fault at Fareham. This means that the Southampton bound line is blocked. Further information will follow when it is available.’

Staff from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service’s control room tweeted: ‘We have started the evening with a train fire at Fareham Train Station with Fareham, Portchester and Cosham.’

National Rail said disruption remained until 7pm.

A statement added: ‘The fault on a train between Havant/Portsmouth Harbour and Fareham has now cleared the line and services are beginning to return to normal between these stations.

‘However, trains may still be cancelled or delayed whilst service recovers.’

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