91�ȱ�

Passengers on a strike-hit route into London Waterloo station will face disruption into the evening because of an earlier signal failure.

The fault affected services on the South Western Main Line between Woking and Surbiton.

Despite the line reopening at 11:30 GMT, South Western Railway (SWR) advised passengers to seek alternative travel arrangements to avoid delays.

Network Rail said it was sorry for the ongoing serious disruption.

It would take the rest of the day for services to return to normal, it said.

SWR services were already being disrupted by the second day of a five-day walkout by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union.

SWR tweeted earlier that passengers travelling on its main line should not travel.

Up to six lines were affected by the signalling issue including Alton, Basingstoke, Woking, Portsmouth Harbour and Dorking services.

Those lines are expected to experience delays throughout the day,

Ndifreke Ekott had hoped to travel from Waterloo to his workplace in Fleet on Wednesday morning.

"People are eager to get on their way", he said.

"A lot like myself have jobs - they need to get to outside London so there is a lot of disappointment.

"I think the knowledge of the strike gave everyone an expectation of delays but not the signal failure."

By Paul Clifton, 91�ȱ� South travel correspondent

Normally 15 trains an hour pass through this section on their way into Waterloo.

Because of the RMT strike running from Tuesday to Saturday, this number was reduced to nine an hour.

But for a period in Wednesday's morning peak, Network Rail said no trains got through at all.

Three trains an hour had passed through by 09:00 and from about 11:30, a full service has been possible.

But with trains and crews all out of place, it will be some hours before SWR can resume anything approaching what it had anticipated being able to operate on a strike day.

Frustrated passengers have been venting on social media about the delays.