Abandoned takeoff LHR 20 Dec last?

[hgsherpa]

Apologies if this is a dumb question, asked in the wrong place or both. But. The Monday before Christmas –the 20th-I was a passenger on BA 219 from LHR to Denver, which left several hours late owing to the snow. As we queued to takeoff, I saw the aircraft at the end of the runway ready to take off, a Cyprus Airways plane, I think, pause a long time. Then it set off slowly down the runway (and out of my sight) at a gentle pace, clearly not accelerating for take off. There was a delay of some minutes, presumably for it to clear the runway and then the next aircraft left, then us.
Has Cyprus developed some fault or had the crew decided the conditions were too marginal to proceed? Sheer curiosity drives me to ask. Speculation and actual truth both preferable to complete lack of interest....
Cheers

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

There could be many reasons, but if it hadn't started accelerating it wasn't necessarily an abandoned take-off. The aircraft may have developed some sort of technical problem as it lined up, or a passenger been taken ill, requiring it to return to its parking stand. Maybe it's slot time had been changed to one slightly later so it had to leave the runway to prevent delays to following traffic.. None of these are daily occurrences, but certainly not unheard of at a place as busy as Heathrow.

[Hotel Tango]

I can tell you that the CYP departed 20 minutes after your flight. Along the lines of what HD explained, most likely some minor discrepency (could even be for instance that the cabin was not secured). The aircraft would need to vacate the runway (so as not to delay all those behind) whilst the problem is rectified. Once ready it would rejoin the departure queue (if they still have a slot of course).

[hgsherpa]

Gentlemen: thank you very much for your explanations/suggestions. Very helpful and interesting.Prompt, too.