It was over 37C at several weather stations in the south east at 2pm, and temps usually top out between 3-4pm so still time for it to hit 38. I am guessing you are in Bletchley so probably slightly cooler (relatively speaking). Services down here seem to be coping fine so far.
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Heat Related Disruption - 13 Aug 2026
- Thread starter LittleRedTrain
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so the lower sun will bounce off horizontal train and bus roofs, but it is worse for penetrating vertical windows and heating up external walls...
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
I went out (by car) at lunchtime and the car reckoned 35, though obviously hotter in direct sun.
How on earth did you guess that?
We were forecast 38 until today though.
Edit: I don't know where they're measuring specifically but National Grid are claiming Milton Keynes has the highest temperature in the UK today that they have recorded, on their Facebook page:
Checking in on Milton Keynes today, the warmest spot on our network, and in the UK.
How are you keeping cool?
Whether you've found a shaded spot, a cold drink, or a local Cool Space, there are welcoming places across Milton Keynes where you can sit, relax and cool down.
Find your nearest Cool Space: https://www.warmwelcome.uk/find-a-space?tags=cool%20space#map
Let us know in the comments, what's your favourite place to cool off in Milton Keynes?— in Milton Keynes.
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Lots of cancellations on the Cambrian coast both yesterday and today. Not good for a service that runs 1tp2h. Today, for example, it looks as though the second, fourth and fifth services towards Pwllheli have been cancelled. Cancellation of those two services leaves a six hour gap between trains. I had been under the (possibly incorrect) impression that cancellations on that line were quite rare. Hopefully it will improve from tomorrow as temperatures look set to fall again.
yorkshirerail
Member
Lineside fire at Wakefield Westgate has being causing issues for several hours now
It can feel like the heating is on, but it wouldn't have been.
Believe once an AC unit reaches a critical mass parts just trip out and it goes into a shed mode which (as is implied) sheds the heating load. I think instead of being able to output cooler air flow, it's just higher temp air flow, which is why it feels like the heat is on.
I don't think there is a way to recover it, either, apart from the natural cooling processes.
I was on Adrian Shooter CBE, late this morning, and the back of the rear vehicle was warm, but as I went thru to get off the train the temperature differential within the carriage and other vehicles was very noticeable.
Dave W
Member
There is a massive fire ongoing in a field that has spread to houses and businesses north of Hagley - the railway cuts straight through the affected area. I'm not on site but looks like everything has been stopped beyond Stourbridge.
They are - Mach depot and TfW typically do everything they can to run the coast service, it’s one of the few left with a true public service ethos and they know how much it screws up local communities if they don’t. Which goes to show just how bad things must be there today, for such big disruption to have occurred.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
These units have two aircon units, one above each vestibule. This does mean you can end up with one end cooled and one end not.
Yesterday I did noticed that despite sitting in a vehicle that must have been upwards of 40 degrees (got me a table to myself though!) there did seem to be some air movement which made it bearable. When a 158's aircon conks out there doesn't seem to be much at all, so I guess the fans were still going, just blowing out ambient outside air.
Mach is very old-railway, I've observed this recently in another thread - it has a bit of an "Oh Dr Beeching" feel about it - but if even they can't make it work things are bad as you say...
That has certainly been my impression when I've used it (and from just monitoring its reliability over the years). It's one of my favourite lines in Britain. Here's hoping for a return to form very soon ...
Dave W
Member
And now where I actually am - the MML adjacent to Grahame Park Way there's a member of staff looking forlornly at some broken looking OHLE. 700 at a stand in rear.
Roughly in line with the pedestrian under pass
5th hottest day ever today for those posting that it's not exceptional heat. Very difficult conditions to work in outside and feel for those working and doing their best to keep the job going today.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Having to travel across the south east to get to work to cover a different location I'm really appreciative of the efforts being made.
== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: ==
Having to travel across the south east to get to work to cover a different location I'm really appreciative of the efforts being made.
I drove through Mach an hour ago, and there were a lot of very annoyed-looking holiday makers toting large suitcases at the station entrance :/
If you're not a local, being given a list of bus services to use to make your way up the coast to your destination is not a great start to your holiday.(Or you can wait in the sun for a few hours for a train that may or may not run I guess.)
This is definitely a hot day, but it's currently 25° in Machynlleth, and, as I posted in another thread, the coast itself had a high temperature of 24°.
londonmidland
Established Member
All lines blocked on the MML due to OLE damage in the Elstree area. No trains running to from St. Pancras at this time.
Iskra
Established Member
Fire physically on the track I believe at Prison Sidings, chaos at Leeds this evening.
I managed to get a train out to Wakefield Kirkgate, but these trains are now extremely busy.
I happened to be in Llandudno Junction this afternoon. A large crowd of people (many with suitcases) trying to source their own taxis. TfW in their wisdom had booked a single replacement bus, to cover for a train which has more than double the capacity and is often full & standing, with the predictable result.
With 150s, it's worth having a look down at the radiator. If it's full of tree pollen it won't be very effective at keeping the engine cool.
Situation normal there then...
DarloRich
Veteran Member
They have to run to be full of pollen 
The whole of the service on the Heart of Wales Line was canned today. No replacement buses, just the whole service proactively cancelled.
If you live Llandeilo-Pontardulais there is (thankfully) a regular service bus to Swansea although it takes rather longer, but otherwise you're screwed. Not sure if it's just the heat in the cabs, or if they have the 15x fleet from HoWL covering diagrams that lost 197's to cover the withdrawn Mk4 sets.....
Poor show.
TPO
londonmidland
Established Member
Conditions onboard stranded EMU trains without power are, as expected, deteriorating fast. Let's hope recovery is pronto, before passengers start self-evacuating.
A few comments from TL's X feed:
GraphitProjekt
Member
Not sure if it's really heat related, but the GWML is in a rather poor shape with a loss of traction power in the London area (Kensal Green substation). So EL are running maybe 3 trains in total each way, and HEX up to 4 (2tph).
Dave W
Member
There were police already on site at Grahame Park Way - I assume the stranded train mentioned in the first message is the one I saw.
Yes, initially believed to be out then it continued to smoulder with subsequent damage found to infrastructure.
LNER are running via Hambleton where they can as well as diverting some services to York - with the remainder spinning at Doncaster.
Iskra
Established Member
Yes, LNER not too badly affected and seemed to get buses running fairly quickly.
I’ve seen at least one XC service avoid Wakefield Westgate via Oakenshaw Junction and Hare Park Junction.
londonmidland
Established Member
CSL2 Black has now been declared. A DO NOT TRAVEL message has been put out, with there being no rail replacement being available.
No more EMR trains will depart STP until tomorrow, apparently
Iskra
Established Member
Trains now running through Wakefield Westgate again
LLivery
Established Member
Building trains without openable windows is stupid. I don't care what the cost analysis says.
Dave W
Member
My car was parked in the open at the RAF Museum all day without shade all day and reported a temperature of 43 degrees when I got in at 5pm - so a full train of people will get toasty quite quickly.
I saw the incident I described above just after. There may be another wire issue but there are three trains either side of the site I mentioned which haven't moved, and 9V48 has been stopped at Mill Hill Broadway since about half past 4 - I assume this is the offending train.
I saw the incident I described above just after. There may be another wire issue but there are three trains either side of the site I mentioned which haven't moved, and 9V48 has been stopped at Mill Hill Broadway since about half past 4 - I assume this is the offending train.
allbarbarry
Member
Unsure if heated related but there are bad delays out of London this evening. Crowd control in place at Farringdon