Heatwave 22-27 June - effect on the UK Railway

[WillC]

I suggested the following a few years ago, as most people understand the concept of pie charts...

View attachment 206590
The symbols could be used on all maps and forecasts, but they (MetO) seem very invested in the current system and fail to see its shortcomings. In reality you would probably only use the two highest Yellow symbols.

I like that - simpler and gets across the risks better. But would still get rid of the yellows, and just allow forecasters to mention this stuff in the usual verbal forecast descriptions ('quite a wet day tomorrow with lots of road spray' etc). You could even overlap the orange and red rows, so as to indicate the relative seriousness, maybe...

Bottom line, I still would leave the single sector oranges and reds to verbal mentions. Until the likelihood reaches 50% say, then you 'go formal'. To avoid crying wolf.

 

[1D54]

Operationally it’s the best route for XC to cancel in times of disruption as the route has alternatives usually with one easy change of train.

A simple change at Bristol Parkway from New St for a service to Cardiff but what do Great Western get out of all this considering it has been going on for years and not just when we have adverse weather conditions.

 

[dk1]

A simple change at Bristol Parkway from New St for a service to Cardiff but what do Great Western get out of all this considering it has been going on for years and not just when we have adverse weather conditions.

What would they expect to get out of it? It’s just one of those things. Although not with advance fares but they get a share of open tickets anyway as it’s classed as a reasonable route between Birmingham and South Wales.

 

[aar0]

I’ve had just shy of a two hour delay on XC, but once the train arrived it was cold and there were plenty of seats. Aforementioned GWR connection at Bristol Parkway was only 5 coaches and very full from Bristol, becoming crush loaded at Newport, but the aircon has mostly kept up.

 

[Russel]

I'm a bit confused by it - Chiltern saying 'do not travel' but still showing special 'Harry Styles' timetable.
I would have assumed that the reduced timetable would have meant longer trains.
And further assumed that perhaps trains timetabled to run slower to reduce impact on infrastructure, but that doesn't seem to be the case either.

This bit is what is confusing me, reducing the timetable should generate plenty of spare units to double/triple services up.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

This bit is what is confusing me, reducing the timetable should generate plenty of spare units to double/triple services up.

Indeed and gives a degree of redundancy against failures but guess it means rehashing unit diagrams and they dont have resources to do that on top normal short term planning workload.

 

[IlkleyRunner]

LNER have updated their advice to do not travel on Friday

 

[mike57]

Bottom line, I still would leave the single sector oranges and reds to verbal mentions. Until the likelihood reaches 50% say, then you 'go formal'. To avoid crying wolf.

Maybe keep the single section reds... Amber starts at 2/4, yellow at 3/4. At the moment the single section red atarts life at a yellow a few days out, which as other have said doesn't really highlight risks.

 

[mr_moo]

G-NLSE the Network rail helicopter has done a few circles over my house (near Waterloo) and seems to be on tour of London stations. It used for track monitoring or similar?

I'd assume they are primarily using the thermal imaging camera to see how hot things are getting. They will spot a failed air con system in a signalling equipment cabinet, an overheating OLE switch, a failing 3rd rail connector, power supplies running very hot etc - All things that are likely to cause failures and could do with maintenance getting there before the failure.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 24 Jun 2026 ==

720s seem to be set to quite warm in general compared to other stock, at least in my experience. The one I was on Monday evening was a bit warmer than it was outside, the outside being around 24C at the time so I'd guess the interior was 26 or 27C.

My 720 this morning was quite warm. Still comfortable enough but I'd guess around 24/25ish. I was sat right at the front and did notice water coming down the window (outside) quite regularly, presumably from the air con unit on the roof.

 

[mikeb42]

Ok, accept your explanation, but doesn't explain why Heath Junction needs protecting, but points at Barry can continue to be used.

The only logical answer would be Heath Junction is known to be more fragile, but nothing has been done to match standard of those other nearby points that can still be used. A sort of allowing some equipment to be unsuitable for all weathers sort of answer if not expected to be usable until Sunday evening.

Is it not just that in this specific instance there's a way to continue to provide a service that gets people where they're going, while managing the risk of a points failure down?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it looks to me like they're providing a shuttle service between Heath Low Level and Coryton all day with a single unit "trapped" on the branch.

A healthy adult could walk between Heath Low Level and High Level in about 30 seconds. By which means they can continue their journeys with relatively small delays.

So the points only move twice a day, at the crack of dawn and late evening, vastly reducing the failure probability.

Presumably crews are travelling as passengers on services via High Level from time to time.

This seems like an outbreak of lateral thinking by someone rather than the standard "no idea, give up" approach and so should be commended.

 

[yorkie]

Trains seem to be at a stand near York.

Spoiler: Image above is from Open Train Times showing Skelton Junction / north of York

1E19 is at a stand near Skelton Junction; 9M16 is right behind it. North of the junction, 1A66 and 1P80 are on the slow line, with 1E20 on the fast line towards York. 1P79 has been routed wrong line heading north, suggesting a possible points failure

I am travelling towards London this evening. Is this heat related? Anyone got any news?

 

[Bald Rick]

Trains seem to be at a stand near York.

View attachment 206601

Spoiler: Image above is from Open Train Times showing Skelton Junction / north of York

1E19 is at a stand near Skelton Junction; 9M16 is right behind it. North of the junction, 1A66 and 1P80 are on the slow line, with 1E20 on the fast line towards York. 1P79 has been routed wrong line heading north, suggesting a possible points failure

I am travelling towards London this evening. Is this heat related? Anyone got any news?

you can see northbound trains being routed via the up line, whcih suggests a points or track circuit failure north of the station. Whenther heat related or not, onecan’t say…

 

[HC1998]

Trains seem to be at a stand near York.

View attachment 206601

Spoiler: Image above is from Open Train Times showing Skelton Junction / north of York

1E19 is at a stand near Skelton Junction; 9M16 is right behind it. North of the junction, 1A66 and 1P80 are on the slow line, with 1E20 on the fast line towards York. 1P79 has been routed wrong line heading north, suggesting a possible points failure

I am travelling towards London this evening. Is this heat related? Anyone got any news?

Been following RTT all day and it looks like it’s been chaos on the ECML. Is there a proper reason aside from “heat”?

 

[FuzzyDuck]

Looks like both the up lines through Basingstoke are out of action, everything is having to use the down lines.

 

[MicroLithium]

Been following RTT all day and it looks like it’s been chaos on the ECML. Is there a proper reason aside from “heat”?

I traveled to and from York today-the morning delays were due to swans on the line, the afternoon apparently signal problem and heat related speed restriction near York station

 

[Haywain]

Is there a proper reason aside from “heat”?

Isn't the extreme heat a 'proper' reason?

 

[Peter0124]

9S70 (12:40 EUS-EDB) and 1S69 (13:30 EUS-GLC) are currently stuck at Lancaster blocking both platforms 3 and 4, a points failure in the area.

 

[Class 466]

Trains seem to be at a stand near York.

View attachment 206601

Spoiler: Image above is from Open Train Times showing Skelton Junction / north of York

1E19 is at a stand near Skelton Junction; 9M16 is right behind it. North of the junction, 1A66 and 1P80 are on the slow line, with 1E20 on the fast line towards York. 1P79 has been routed wrong line heading north, suggesting a possible points failure

I am travelling towards London this evening. Is this heat related? Anyone got any news?

i know Skelton Jn was reduced to a 20mph restriction following rail temperatures exceeding 50 degrees - I expect it’s something else though!

 

[AndrewE]

I travelled to and from York today-the morning delays were due to swans on the line, the afternoon apparently signal problem and heat related speed restriction near York station

Isn't the extreme heat a 'proper' reason?

... apart from the fact that the Red warning didn't even reach as far north as Peterborough...

 

[HC1998]

Isn't the extreme heat a 'proper' reason?

I don’t know, I don’t know much about the railways.

I traveled to and from York today-the morning delays were due to swans on the line, the afternoon apparently signal problem and heat related speed restriction near York station

I couldn’t find any sources other than it’s been really jammed between NCL and York

 

[D1537]

you can see northbound trains being routed via the up line, whcih suggests a points or track circuit failure north of the station. Whenther heat related or not, onecan’t say…

"Fault with the signalling system" on the PIS.

 

[notspy]

Trains seem to be at a stand near York.

View attachment 206601

Spoiler: Image above is from Open Train Times showing Skelton Junction / north of York

1E19 is at a stand near Skelton Junction; 9M16 is right behind it. North of the junction, 1A66 and 1P80 are on the slow line, with 1E20 on the fast line towards York. 1P79 has been routed wrong line heading north, suggesting a possible points failure

I am travelling towards London this evening. Is this heat related? Anyone got any news?

Track circuit failure at York (unsure of exact location)

 

[JamesT]

Indeed and gives a degree of redundancy against failures but guess it means rehashing unit diagrams and they dont have resources to do that on top normal short term planning workload.

Though if they’ve binned off the hauled stock, there will be units substituting for those that can’t be used for strengthening.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

deleted

 

[pnepaul]

9S70 (12:40 EUS-EDB) and 1S69 (13:30 EUS-GLC) are currently stuck at Lancaster blocking both platforms 3 and 4, a points failure in the area.

As you may have seen, Southbound trains don't seem to be affected - but that's not much help for you!

 

[D1511]

I'll chuck something into the mix here.......

CLIMATE RESILIENCE PLANS

Does NR or any of the TOCs actually have adopted CR plans in place? And what the hell do they say?? "If there's an extreme climate event, we're just throwing in the towel"??

(And for the benefit of Northern, cancelling 400 trains is not a resilience plan. The clue is in the name.)

 

[wijit]

9S70 (12:40 EUS-EDB) and 1S69 (13:30 EUS-GLC) are currently stuck at Lancaster blocking both platforms 3 and 4, a points failure in the area.

My significant other is going to Edinburgh, but stuck at Preston. Doesn’t sound like they’re being told much.

 

[800002]

This bit is what is confusing me, reducing the timetable should generate plenty of spare units to double/triple services up.

It depends on where you need to call those services.
Having spare stock in the wrong location(s) can also be a hindrance too. May not be able to use it.

Indeed and gives a degree of redundancy against failures but guess it means rehashing unit diagrams and they dont have resources to do that on top normal short term planning workload.

You're very much stuck with how and where units finish the day before (tuesday, for todays service, for example).
Given yesterday appears to have seen a blanket approach of cancellations (very few VSTP arrangements were in place on Tuesday) for Chiltern, chances are an already overworked control team were severely limited in what they could achieve given any number of related train and infrastructure issues and failures.

This means you're left to carry on the next day in an unideal position and needing more and more control intervention to get things back (or better) only to be sideswiped by another infrastructure or unit failure.

We've seen it before when Chiltern experience a large issue which affects stick displacement. Short forms and misforms can continue for 48 hours, although each incremental intervention enacted by control slowly helps to rebalance and redress the fleet position.

 

[D1511]

My significant other is going to Edinburgh, but stuck at Preston. Doesn’t sound like they’re being told much.

I have that same journey to look forward to on Friday......except I'm on 9S80

 

[Peter0124]

As you may have seen, Southbound trains don't seem to be affected - but that's not much help for you!

My significant other is going to Edinburgh, but stuck at Preston. Doesn’t sound like they’re being told much.

Just speculating as I don't know the facts, but I suspect the points failure happened due to routing 9S70 into platform 4. 1S71 (15:04 MIA-GLC) broke down in platform 3 earlier so the Avanti was probably routed to avoid it. Butterfly effect?