Train services from Liverpool Lime Street will be affected on Thursday, August 13, as the Met Office issues an extreme heat warning. Passengers are being advised to check for travel updates before setting off, with some operators running reduced timetables.
Northern cuts services
Northern said it will run fewer trains than normal on some routes in the North West and Yorkshire. It told passengers that high temperatures “increase the risk of issues on the railway and with the reliability of our trains”, which means it must make adjustments to its usual timetable “to keep trains running”.
Heat-related issues that can affect the railway include buckled rails, sagging overhead electric wires and lineside fires. Steel rails can exceed 50C when the air temperature is 30C.
Other operators affected
Chiltern Railways and East Midlands Railway also issued alerts to “only travel if essential”. Other operators will either run a reduced timetable or are warning about the potential for short-notice cancellations.
Some ticket restrictions have been eased, and passengers are being asked to check for travel updates before setting off, as well as carry water to stay hydrated.
East Midlands Railway said trains between Nottingham and Worksop, and on the Nottingham to Leicester regional stopping route, will not run on Thursday after midday. The Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich route will run between Sheffield and Norwich only, which would usually pass through Widnes, Warrington and Manchester stations also.
Chiltern Railways changes
Chiltern Railways said temperatures are expected to reach highs of 38C on parts of its network on Thursday. It will operate a reduced timetable between 11am and 8pm.
Among the changes are:
- Off-peak services between London Marylebone and Birmingham Moor Street will operate hourly instead of half-hourly.
- Some services between London Marylebone and Oxford will be cancelled.
- No Chiltern Railways services will operate from Birmingham Snow Hill from 10.15am until the end of the day.
Michael Stewart, commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways, said: “We are asking customers to travel only if essential on Thursday because of the exceptionally high temperatures forecast across our network.”
“By operating a reduced timetable during the hottest part of the day, we can provide a more reliable and comfortable service for customers.”
Met Office warning
Temperatures will exceed 30C in many regions across the UK on Thursday. An amber warning is in place for extreme heat, with temperatures expected to peak at 37C in some areas. The warning will be in force through much of Thursday and covers parts of southern and eastern England, as well as parts of the Midlands.
Met Office Chief Forecaster Chris Bulmer said: "While the peak heat will be more short-lived than recent heatwaves, temperatures widely into the mid-30s Celsius on Thursday brings the potential for impacts for some, which is why a Met Office warning has been issued."
“High pressure is now becoming dominant and temperatures will build day-by-day. Southerly and southeasterly winds will also tap into the hot conditions over Europe which helps develop this further notable heat in what has been a hot and dry summer so far for many in the south of the UK.”
