Heat related disruption 8 July 2026 onwards

[Snow1964]

BBC reporting EMR cancelling trains due to expected heat.

The rail operator cancelled some services on Tuesday as several trains required repairs due to "heat-related issues".
Regional services between Nottingham and Worksop, and between Nottingham and Leicester, will be suspended from 12:00 BST on Wednesday, while the schedule for Thursday and Friday is "under review", EMR said. It added rail replacement buses would be running.

East Midlands Railway suspends services amid heat warning

The rail operator plans to reduce its regional services to help manage the impact of the weather.

www.bbc.co.uk

But Met office has no warnings

UK weather warnings

Met Office UK weather warnings for rain, wind, snow, ice, fog, thunderstorm, lightning and extreme heat.

weather.metoffice.gov.uk

Seems to come from UK health putting risk factor 12 amber for East Midlands
12 is Medium impact with likelihood of 60-89%

Weather alert for east-midlands | UKHSA data dashboard

Weather alert for east-midlands

ukhsa-dashboard.data.gov.uk

So obvious question, if it is more a health issue warning, than a disruption warning, is it reasonable to say "Essential Travel Only" rather than "Be careful if health is not good"

Sort of feels they are using it as excuse for poor maintenance so trains keep breaking down, and haven't got enough repair capacity.

My gut feeling is if Met Office are not issuing warnings, then cancelling services is not being pro-active, it is more akin to giving up through being over cautious. Either that or they are failing to be 100% truthful about broken and unrepaired rolling stock. What do others think ?

 

[tram21]

Sort of feels they are using it as excuse for poor maintenance so trains keep breaking down, and haven't got enough repair capacity.

Hmm really?!!!

No, in all seriousness this is crazy work by EMR and shouldn't be being tolerated. You can't P-code a load of services for 'forecasted severe weather' when there's 30 degree heat...

 

[LAX54]

Forecast in old money 91F to 95F, as avgainst the normal highs of about 73F or so. Guess NR/TOC's will have to rethink maintainance and installations going forward in future years

 

[NeakPed]

Unless things have changed in recent years, any TOC instigated ‘P’ code request requires to be agreed by the DfT before it is submitted to Network Rail.
The request has to include the reason(s) for it.
Any ’P’ codes that are a result of a Network Rail request (ie reduced infrastructure availability) are not subject to prior DfT approval.

 

[pitdiver]

I live near the Robin Hood line (Nottingham to Worksop). The last departure ex Nottingham is the 1125. After that there are four RRBs. With a journey time of 2hrs 47 mins to my local station Shirebrook.v

 

[ajp999]

All other operators serving Nottinghamshire (Cross Country, LNER, Northern) are currently running a normal scheduled service with no restrictions on travel.

 

[wilsontown]

Don't know if it's weather related but my York - Leeds train (0921 York to Manchester Airport) has been put in the platform loop at Church Fenton and doesn't seem to be going anywhere soon...

 

[Ianigsy]

Fire evacuation at York signalling centre, we’ve been told - was supposed to be on the 0945 Leeds-Sheffield Yorkshire Flyer (cancelled) but now on the 0932 Lincoln now leaving 17 mins late.

 

[Class 466]

Friday at least looks like it’ll match the temperatures that lead to the Northern North West Cancellations last month - wonder if the same will apply.

 

[RailWonderer]

Sort of feels they are using it as excuse for poor maintenance so trains keep breaking down, and haven't got enough repair capacity.

My gut feeling is if Met Office are not issuing warnings, then cancelling services is not being pro-active, it is more akin to giving up through being over cautious. Either that or they are failing to be 100% truthful about broken and unrepaired rolling stock. What do others think ?

The 18:43 at Bath to Paddington was cancelled on Monday because of 'more trains than expected needing repairs', presumably because of the heat leading to higher failure rates, making the following service very overcrowded. Then a lot of Turbos were running with all windows open and no a/c while one unit I was on had a/c in the rear coach but not the front. I didn't see a single 158 with windows shut (which implies there was no working a/c in any of them). In my view these a/c units need to be upgraded and looked at seperately to maintenance of the rest of the train because some passengers are doing long journeys on them and when they're overcrowded they're a lot worse.

I could be totally wrong but GWR are short of IETs since taking some Turbo diagrams (that 175s are going to take on soon) and tight availability becomes a problem very quickly. As usual our government will stick their head in the sand and do the minimum to improve resilience and reliability.

 

[Snow1964]

The 18:43 at Bath to Paddington was cancelled on Monday because of 'more trains than expected needing repairs', presumably because of the heat leading to higher failure rates, making the following service very overcrowded. Then a lot of Turbos were running with all windows open and no a/c while one unit I was on had a/c in the rear coach but not the front. I didn't see a single 158 with windows shut (which implies there was no working a/c in any of them). In my view these a/c units need to be upgraded and looked at seperately to maintenance of the rest of the train because some passengers are doing long journeys on them and when they're overcrowded they're a lot worse.

Yes, agree not fit for purpose.

I read the new CAF units for the Emirates are designed to not exceed +23c even when outside temperature is +60c, so why we have a/c that are so poor they fail at about third of that temperature differential shows lack of commitment to not upgrading the known weak parts when it was realised 30+ years ago. Of course we don't need to cope with +60 in the desert, but not coping whilst temperatures have been in high 20s earlier this week is unacceptable

 

[adc82140]

I suppose it's weather related, there is a tree down on the SWML between Brookwood and Farnborough, taking out the down slow. Down fast is running with a speed restriction. The tree has embedded itself under the juice rail and there is no evidence of anyone on site to remove it, so this could stretch into the evening peak.

 

[ChrisC]

Hmm really?!!!

No, in all seriousness this is crazy work by EMR and shouldn't be being tolerated. You can't P-code a load of services for 'forecasted severe weather' when there's 30 degree heat...

EMR cancelled all services on the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham, Mansfield and Worksop during the last heat wave 2 weeks ago. It’s not very good if every time there is hot weather a town the size of Mansfield has no train service. I did hear that the 170’s were struggling during hot weather on the long heavy gradient up through Hucknall towards Newstead. Since their introduction journey times have been extended, Langwith and Whitwell have seen reduced services and the weekday frequency between Nottingham and Mansfield has been cut from 2tph to 1tph.

 

[merry]

EMR cancelled all services on the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham, Mansfield and Worksop during the last heat wave 2 weeks ago.

And they're doing it again, thereby releasing stock to fill other holes but leaving Mansfield without meaningful (or any) service. Shameful, it's probably once again the largest town in the country without passenger rail service.
Sooner P coding is abolished the better (but i am not holding my breath!).

 

[dk1]

Just business as usual here in the wonderful world of Greater Anglia even though it’s currently scorchio. Trains are like ice boxes for both drivers and passengers.

 

[Russel]

Just business as usual here in the wonderful world of Greater Anglia even though it’s currently scorchio. Trains are like ice boxes for both drivers and passengers.

I'll be there on Friday and Saturday, I can't wait!

The Midlands is currently insufferable.

 

[Starmill]

EMR cancelled all services on the Robin Hood Line between Nottingham, Mansfield and Worksop during the last heat wave 2 weeks ago. It’s not very good if every time there is hot weather a town the size of Mansfield has no train service. I did hear that the 170’s were struggling during hot weather on the long heavy gradient up through Hucknall towards Newstead. Since their introduction journey times have been extended, Langwith and Whitwell have seen reduced services and the weekday frequency between Nottingham and Mansfield has been cut from 2tph to 1tph.

Cancelling every train rather than leaving a small handful for those who have no choice is pretty bizarre. That's usually something that is avoided. What is it about that specific route that apparently deserves specially bad treatment?

 

[Sparks807Evo]

The Chiltern line to Birmingham tonight was seeing how much of a contrast it could be to Greater Anglia - train faults, air con issues, signal issue, trespasser, skip stopping three times north of Banbury / terminating short at Leamington. Credit to the staff onboard and at stations for information updates and handing out water and keeping going through it all.

 

[185143]

Cancelling every train rather than leaving a small handful for those who have no choice is pretty bizarre. That's usually something that is avoided. What is it about that specific route that apparently deserves specially bad treatment?

The clientele!

In all seriousness, cancelling every single train unless there's a very good reason is a disgrace. And by that I mean "X has happened so the line is physically blocked."

If it's to do with unit availability, would turning back at Hucknall save a unit? I don't know the route that well.

 

[mickey]

Altered service on GWR between Reading and Paddington all this week - no semi-fasts or Oxford terminators as the points have been blocked out again. The difference here is that they’ve explained very clearly in advance what will happen, and when, and have broadly stuck to it... which makes a huge difference as you can plan accordingly. A welcome change this time round (compared with a few weeks ago) is that they’ve explicitly said services will resume after 2100 when it starts to cool down again, rather than leaving us to hope/guess.

 

[tram21]

The clientele!

In all seriousness, cancelling every single train unless there's a very good reason is a disgrace. And by that I mean "X has happened so the line is physically blocked."

If it's to do with unit availability, would turning back at Hucknall save a unit? I don't know the route that well.

It would do, yes, but EMR can't be bothered with that.
Tbh I actually do think that it is the clientele along the line- many have no alternative to public transport and have 'little influence'. Fares are also incredibly cheap, so they won't lose much.

In fairness, the majority of the route is well substituted by bus (and tram) links, but that makes it no better.

It shouldn't be being tolerated. There will certainly be no political pressure to EMR as well, given the MP for Ashfield...*

*an excuse of a politician in many people's eyes. He recently was on the Robin Hood line actually, but instead of making any comment about the service level etc, his only complaint was about the rainbow on the side of EMR's best train, 170501, which apparently is a 'waste of taxpayers money'. I thought Reform politicians were all for flags everywhere, but I seem to be mistaken...

 

[800002]

The Chiltern line to Birmingham tonight was seeing how much of a contrast it could be to Greater Anglia - train faults, air con issues, signal issue, trespasser, skip stopping three times north of Banbury / terminating short at Leamington. Credit to the staff onboard and at stations for information updates and handing out water and keeping going through it all.

It was not the best of nights/ evening peaks leaving London.
I think there was an element / degree of rethink in control as various other elements entered the fray.
Don't think they fully intended to skip stop two trains Banbury to Birmingham (with XC right behind for Leamington/ Coventry etc al) then terminate the third service at Leamington (I think it shunted into the bay and went round to Stratford in the end?).

The irony being, of course, the middle down road at Leamington being too hot to use so those two trains ran non-stop via the down platform line!

 

[Falcon1200]

Altered service on GWR between Reading and Paddington all this week - no semi-fasts or Oxford terminators as the points have been blocked out again.

Presumably the points on the Main Lines at Didcot East were placed out of use, as the late running Paddington-Great Malvern train I was on yesterday ran via the Down Relief from Reading and followed a Didcot stopper therefore losing more time, and was overtaken by a train on the Down Main! We also then ran over the Up line from Didcot to Kennington Junction, perhaps due to the same problem which had caused the previous Down Worcester service to be heavily delayed and terminate at Oxford, resulting in that train's passengers having to squeeze onto the already-busy next, 5-car, train. There are of course many issues preventing it but as has been said, many times before, use the stock released by cancellations to lengthen those trains which are running.

 

[Jamesrob637]

I think the fastest Leeds to Sheffield Northern trains have been cancelled again.

 

[ChrisC]

It would do, yes, but EMR can't be bothered with that.
Tbh I actually do think that it is the clientele along the line- many have no alternative to public transport and have 'little influence'. Fares are also incredibly cheap, so they won't lose much.

Thirty years ago, when the Robin Hood Line first re-opened, the fares were incredibly cheap due to them being heavily subsidised. These days I don’t think that they are that cheap. There are a few cheap fares between some pairs of stations but the return fare from Nottingham to Mansfield is no longer very much cheaper than many other journeys of similar distance. For the distance it is not very much less than Nottingham to Derby, or Nottingham to Newark.

Whatever the fares, it doesn’t change the fact that EMR have removed the train service from a large town like Mansfield. Today EMR are currently stating that there is a good service with minor changes, however, all trains are again cancelled after approx 12 noon. You would think that EMR could at least run a couple of trains between Nottingham and Mansfield at peak time this afternoon to enable passengers who travelled into Nottingham this morning to return home by train. The Stagecoach Pronto and Trent Barton Threes buses must be doing very well out of this.

 

[Benjwri]

Altered service on GWR between Reading and Paddington all this week - no semi-fasts or Oxford terminators as the points have been blocked out again. The difference here is that they’ve explained very clearly in advance what will happen, and when, and have broadly stuck to it... which makes a huge difference as you can plan accordingly. A welcome change this time round (compared with a few weeks ago) is that they’ve explicitly said services will resume after 2100 when it starts to cool down again, rather than leaving us to hope/guess.

Not to mention they’ve been stopping some trains at Maidenhead and Slough on the fasts so still providing a service

 

[DarloRich]

Marston Vale line services suspended between 1200 & 1900 Wednesday and Thursday due to hot weather - really confused about this one tbh. There is no explanation as to weather the heat impact is infrastructure rolling stock, staff or passengers.

 

[Mike395]

Marston Vale line services suspended between 1200 & 1900 Wednesday and Thursday due to hot weather - really confused about this one tbh. There is no explanation as to weather the heat impact is infrastructure rolling stock, staff or passengers.

Last time I took a Marston Vale 150 in this weather the heat was unbearable, the aging units' cooling systems basically seem to just give up above about 30degs - I suspect the decision was taken on the grounds of staff/passenger welfare.

 

[800001]

Marston Vale line services suspended between 1200 & 1900 Wednesday and Thursday due to hot weather - really confused about this one tbh. There is no explanation as to weather the heat impact is infrastructure rolling stock, staff or passengers.

My reckoning would be the cab for the driver being to hot.

 

[Bodiam]

Recent stakeholder email from Southeastern has this photo of a signalling cabinet at Greenwich with some sort of gadget on top to help reduce internal heat -

Picture1-10

Southeastern Railway Media Centre

newsroom.southeasternrailway.co.uk