RAILTRACK is facing a massive compensation bill from train operators for disruptions caused since the Hatfield disaster.

GNER, now also battling with problems caused by the floods, is thought to have lost millions of pounds in revenue. Like other operators, the company has had to reduce its services due to speed restrictions and track renewal since the Hatfield derailment.

The floods have halted services on the East Coast Mainline in the North-East, with the line between Newcastle and Doncaster staying closed until Monday at the earliest.

GNER staff are working around the clock to deal with a backlog of refund applications.

The Newcastle office has been handling more than 500 requests for refunds a day and the customer services department taking 4,000 calls a day.

Northern Spirit services, hit hard by flooding, will be restored from next week, but some lines will have speed restrictions. Managing director Nigel Patterson said 95 per cent of the normal timetable would be in place by the middle of next week.

No one was available for comment at Railtrack.