Commuters were left stranded after the beleaguered Elizabeth Line broke down again, causing major delays and problems at Paddington.

A broken track on the Acton Main Line has caused chaos for commuters between London and Heathrow Airport and Reading.

Additionally, there is a staff shortage and outages are expected to last throughout the day.

National Rail has warned that Elizabeth Line, Great Western Railway and Heathrow Express services are affected.

Initially, trains could not run between Heathrow Airport and London Paddington.

The route was later reopened for Heathrow Express, but with a reduced service.

Services on the Elizabeth line to Heathrow remain suspended and trains between Paddington and Reading are at risk of being canceled or delayed.

Commuters were left stranded after the beleaguered Elizabeth Line broke down again, causing major delays and problems at Paddington (pictured last year)

Passengers at Paddington station in London

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan poses for a selfie with passengers as they board the first Elizabeth Line train at Paddington Station in 2022

Network Rail engineers discovered the broken rail on the high speed line to London Paddington from Slough/Heathrow.

The fault means the speed limit for trains has been reduced, causing delays.

Meanwhile, a member of the signal staff fell ill, adding to the rush hour chaos.

A replacement was due to arrive “on site” at around 8.30am, National Rail Inquiries said.

But angry commuters took to social media to vent their frustration.

One posted: “An Elizabeth line in the 45 minutes I waited at the station.

“They had to close it down because of overcrowding.”

Another proclaimed: “Thank you for ruining my Elizabeth Line morning,” while a third said: “Men rushing to get a seat on the Elizabeth Line, you can’t make this up.”

One fed-up user said “my hatred for Elizabeth Line grows every day”.

One tagged Sadiq Khan and asked: “When are you going to fix the eternal delays on the Elizabeth line? Unacceptable.’

Passengers run to catch westbound Elizabeth Line trains at Paddington Station. File photo

“Elizabeth line is useless at least one day a week,” blasted another.

It comes after the Royal Institute of British Architects named Elizabeth Line the winner of the 2024 Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize.

Presented since 1996, the prestigious annual award recognizes the best new architecture in the UK.

Named after the monarch, the Elizabeth Line runs from Reading and Heathrow to Essex and south-east London – when it operates.

Accommodating 700,000 passengers every weekday and comprising 62 miles of track and 26 miles of tunnels, it is an extraordinarily complex architectural feat masked by elegant simplicity.

The excavation project became part of the UK’s largest archaeological dig, uncovering a wealth of historic artefacts – from a Tudor bowling ball to 55 million-year-old woolly mammoth remains.

Six million tonnes of earth were excavated to create space for the network’s tunnels, which were re-used to create a nature reserve in Essex.

Speaking on behalf of the RIBA Stirling Prize Jury, Muyiwa Oki, RIBA President and Chair of the Jury, said: “The Elizabeth Line is a triumph of architect-led collaboration, providing a seamless, efficient and beautifully choreographed solution for inner-city transport.

“It is an uncluttered canvas that incorporates an elegant suite of architectural components to create a consistent identity across the entire line – through which thousands of daily passengers navigate with ease.

“Descending into the colossal network of tunnels feels like stepping into a portal to the future, where the typical commuter chaos is transformed into an effortless experience.”