Network Rail and train operators have upgraded their travel advice for services heading north out of London into the weather warning ‘red zone’ to ‘DO NOT TRAVEL’.
With no services planned to run into or out of London King’s Cross all day today, there are also now no Thameslink or Great Northern services planned to run north of London all day with East Midlands Railway only running very limited services between Derby, Nottingham, Luton, Bedford and London, which will stop altogether during the hottest part of the day (lunchtime to 1900).
There will also be very limited and disrupted services running into and out of London Euston (Avanti West Coast and West Midlands Railway) and London Marylebone (Chilterns Railway).
Jake Kelly, Network Rail’s operations director, said: “We have not taken the decision lightly to upgrade our travel advice to ‘do not travel’ if heading north out of London. Please replan your journey as there will either be no services or very disrupted services. Any journey within the Met Office’s ‘red-zone’ is going to be long, disrupted and uncomfortable so, with free refunds or ticket swaps available, our best advice is to stay home and replan your journey.”
Services yesterday afternoon and evening were heavily impacted by the extreme heat with buckled rails reported and overhead wire systems failing. A new record rail temperature of 62 degrees was recorded in Suffolk.
It is expected that services will be even more disrupted today with higher temperatures predicted. This will mean that speed restrictions will be introduced in the morning, rather than at lunchtime.
Image credit: Network Rail
