Squirrels cause chaos on a Great Western Railway train

A train service was unexpectedly cancelled after two squirrels boarded the 8:54 AM Great Western Railway (GWR) train from Reading to Gatwick and caused chaos. 

The squirrels, who hopped on at Gomshall, Surrey, at 9:47 AM, reportedly attacked rush-hour commuters, leading to what witnesses described as “pandemonium.”

Two squirrels caused delays and cancellations on a Great Western Railway train

The pair of unwelcome rodents initially entered the rear carriage, creating panic among passengers, who quickly fled to other parts of the train. 

According to reports, the conductor tried to contain the situation by locking the doors between carriages to prevent the squirrels from moving further up the train.

One passenger told The Sun, “It was complete pandemonium. The squirrels got into the rear carriage and attacked people. All the passengers ran off the train and got another carriage. The conductor then had to lock the doors to stop the squirrels moving up the train.”

The train continued its journey until it reached Redhill, Surrey, where staff made several attempts to remove the squirrels. 

Armed with broomsticks, a telescopic grabber, and peanuts, the staff managed to lure one squirrel off the train, however, the other stubborn rodent refused to leave.

With time running out and the second squirrel unwilling to budge, railway bosses made the decision to terminate the service, sending the train back to Reading where it had originated.

This left some passengers at risk of missing their flights at Gatwick Airport, causing further frustration.

A GWR spokesman made light of the situation, joking that the squirrels had boarded “without tickets,” breaching railway byelaws.

“We can confirm that the 08.54 Reading to Gatwick was terminated at Redhill after a couple of squirrels boarded the train at Gomshall without tickets, breaching railway byeclaws. We attempted to remove them at Redhill, but one refused to leave and was returned to Reading to bring an end to this nutty tale,” said the spokesperson

The incident, while amusing, led to significant delays for passengers and an unusual morning for railway staff. 

It’s safe to say that the GWR team won’t forget this squirrelly situation any time soon.