Trains cancelled after Thatcham fire near railway track

A large Thatcham fire near Colthrop Lane forced Great Western Railway to shut nearby tracks on Monday evening, cancelling Reading–Newbury services and diverting Paddington–West Country trains. Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue attended after many calls; residents reported explosions. By Tuesday morning, GWR said trains through Thatcham were running normally again.

Key Takeaways

• Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service responded to a major blaze on Colthrop Lane in Thatcham on Monday evening after a large number of emergency calls.
• Great Western Railway closed nearby tracks, suspended Reading–Newbury trains, and diverted long-distance London Paddington–West Country services for the rest of the evening.
• Local reports described explosions and a fireball at Colthrop Business Park, with a strong burning smell lingering across Thatcham and Newbury into Tuesday morning.
• GWR reported that all trains were running as normal through Thatcham by about 7am on Tuesday, 29 September 2026.
• Emergency services said they were likely to remain on scene for some time while the incident was managed.

Commuters and long-distance travellers were hit on Monday night when a major industrial blaze broke out beside the railway in Thatcham, Berkshire. The BBC reported that trains were cancelled after the fire near the track, while local outlets tracked explosions, smoke, and the overnight disruption that followed.

If you were caught up in the chaos—or are planning journeys through Reading, Newbury, or the West Country—here is what is confirmed so far, and what still remains unclear.

What happened during the Thatcham fire on Monday night?

According to Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service, crews were called to an incident on Colthrop Lane in Thatcham after receiving a large number of public reports on Monday evening. Multiple engines attended, and a huge plume of smoke was seen billowing across the area.

Newbury Today described a major incident near Thatcham following an explosion on an industrial estate. Explosions were heard from about 8pm coming from a unit at Colthrop Business Park and were still continuing by 8.35pm. Pictures and video from the scene showed a unit appearing engulfed in flames.

Residents posting in local Facebook groups reported hearing explosions from the site. Newbury Today later said explosions were still being heard across the area, including in Newbury, around 1am. A strong burning smell remained across Thatcham and Newbury on Tuesday morning.

Unconfirmed reports suggested lithium batteries may have been responsible for the explosions. Firefighters on scene were unable to confirm at the time whether anyone had been hurt. Official cause and casualty details had not been fully clarified in early coverage.

Why were trains cancelled after the Thatcham fire?

The blaze sat close to the railway line, which is why passenger services were disrupted so quickly. Great Western Railway said it had been informed of a large fire close to the railway in the Thatcham area and that it was necessary to close the line, with no trains going through until further notice.

The BBC reported that GWR closed the nearby tracks and that no trains would travel through the area for the rest of Monday evening. Long-distance services between London Paddington and the West Country were diverted, while trains between Reading and Newbury were suspended.

The Reading Chronicle similarly noted that emergency services were on scene in Colthrop Lane, that the blaze near the railway was causing major travel disruption, and that trains between Reading and Newbury had been cancelled.

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When did rail services resume after the Thatcham fire?

Overnight, the line remained closed because of the large fire. In an update timed around 7am on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, Newbury Today reported that GWR said all trains were running as normal through Thatcham that morning.

That morning update is the clearest public signal that scheduled through-services had returned after the Monday night shutdown. Travellers who were diverted or cancelled the previous evening would still have needed to check their tickets, refunds, and onward connections with the operator.

Even after trains restarted, fire crews had not necessarily finished their work. In an early-hours update, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service thanked the public for their patience while dealing with the fire in the Colthrop Lane area and said emergency services were likely to remain on the scene for some time, with further information to follow.

What have firefighters and local media said so far?

On Facebook, Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service told the public it had received a large number of calls to an incident on Colthrop Lane in Thatcham, that crews were on scene, and that more information would be provided as soon as possible.

Local journalism filled in the visual picture: multiple fire engines, a large smoke plume, explosions heard for hours, and a unit at Colthrop Business Park seemingly ablaze. Newbury Today framed the event as breaking news involving explosions and a fireball at the business park, while the BBC led on the railway cancellations that followed.

What remains limited in the early reports is a full official account of the ignition source, any injuries, and how long cordons or residual hazards might last. Unconfirmed battery-related claims should be treated cautiously until investigators or the fire service confirm them.

Readers near Thatcham and Newbury who still notice a burning smell, or who need the latest travel status, should rely on updates from Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service and Great Western Railway rather than social media speculation alone.

Bottom line: the Thatcham fire was a serious industrial blaze beside a busy rail corridor. It shut the line on Monday night, diverted and cancelled key GWR services, and left emergency crews on scene into the early hours—before trains through Thatcham were reported back to normal on Tuesday morning.