PASSENGERS promised new and improved train services on the West Coast Main Line with the introduction of a fresh timetable endured a series of delays yesterday.

Embarrassingly for rail infrastructure company Network Rail (NR), the £9bn upgrade of the West Coast Main Line has just been completed.

Trains were cancelled and others delayed after a track-circuit problem at Bletchley which hit services between London and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire.

Also affecting Merseyside, a broken down train at Huyton caused delays to Northern Rail services.

This weekend NR had trumpeted the arrival of the new timetable and the completion of the West Coast work, with the company’s chief executive Iain Coucher saying it was probably the biggest change since the industry moved from steam to diesel and electric power.

An NR spokesman said: “We have had a few glitches but overall the performance has been OK.”

Shadow transport secretary Theresa Villiers said: “It is ironic that Network Rail’s announcement celebrating the final completion of the West Coast mainline upgrade was being read by passengers stuck on trains as the system stumbled at the first hurdle.

“These teething problems must be swiftly dealt with.