Rail fire causes major disruption

A train fire has caused major disruption for rail passengers across the Thames Valley.

Trains travelling through Reading on Wednesday evening were delayed after a First Great Western (FGW) intercity train was evacuated at Burnham.

The locomotive filled with smoke but no passengers were hurt.

A FGW spokesman said train services were slowly returning to normal, but "severe disruption" was expected to continue through the evening and night.

A spokesman from Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service said the fire was now out and the train was being towed back to Maidenhead station.

The train would be stripped down and any hot spots dealt with safely, he said.

FGW said the fire was caused by a mechanical fault, and was confined to the power carriage which filled with smoke.

A FGW spokesman said: "Customers are advised to delay their journey until later this evening."