As the UK prepares for yet more record-busting temperatures, rail services across the country are being reduced.
Passengers in England and Wales are being warned not to travel unless absolutely necessary on Tuesday, as temperatures in parts of the country are forecast to hit 40 C by 3pm.
Overnight, Network Rail raised its warning to travellers urging them not to attempt to travel north from London into the “red zone” where the highest temperatures are expected. The entire East Coast main line has been closed from Kings Cross, affecting multiple rail operators.
Steel rails are susceptible to buckling during extreme temperatures, meaning some trains will also be ordered to run at slower speeds than normal, typically dropping from 125mph to 90mph or 60mph, with some stretches as slow as 20mph.
Yesterday, Luton Airport and RAF base Brize Norton both paused operations during the hottest part of the afternoon, with Luton saying engineers were inspecting the runway after “high surfaces temperatures caused a small section to lift”. Luton’s flights resumed at 6.05pm, with many delayed for three hours or more.
Train derails in Spain amid heatwave
A Spain reportedly derailed yesterday due to the extreme temperatures across Europe.
A local in the San Sebastian-Donostia area tweeted: “El Topo has just derailed in #Donostia… between Anoeta and Amara. There are no serious injuries.”
In temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s Celsius, railway tracks run the risk of warping or “buckling”, posing a major risk to moving trains.
Lucy Thackray19 July 2022 09:14
Network Rail: ‘do not travel’ into red zone
Late on Monday, Network Rail raised its warning to travellers urging them not to attempt to travel north from London into the “red zone” where the highest temperatures are expected.
No Thameslink or Great Northern services will run north of London all day.
East Midlands Railway, which links London St Pancras with Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield, is running a limited service – which will stop altogether during the hottest part of the day, from lunchtime to 7pm.
Avanti West Coast services from London Euston are disrupted, with many cancellations and delays expected on trains that do run.
The early arrival from Birmingham New Street is 75 minutes late. Most trains to and from northwest England are running 15-30 minutes behind schedule.
King’s Cross station is effectively closed all day with no…
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