Passengers were evacuated from a Great Northern train in London after it broke down during a heatwave, with temperatures reaching 33C. The train, traveling from Moorgate to Stevenage, stopped near Drayton Park station around 3pm on Tuesday afternoon.
Breakdown cause and response
The operator confirmed the breakdown occurred due to an issue where power switches from the third rail of the Northern City Line to the overhead lines. Great Northern stated that efforts were made to restart the train, but when this failed, passengers were evacuated along the track to Drayton Park station. Reports indicate the evacuation took up to two hours.
Passenger accounts
Passenger Chris Arnold told the Ham & High that passengers were escorted on foot after two hours. He said: "It felt like procedures were taking precedence over people's wellbeing. With climate change bringing more frequent heatwaves, train operators should have robust plans for dealing with breakdowns in high temperatures."
Online reactions
Footage of the evacuation, showing passengers walking near Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, drew criticism online. One commenter wrote: "The UK cannot handle any sort of severe weather. Torrential rain, trains stop. Heavy snow, roads are blocked off. Heatwaves, no ACs in buildings and infrastructure can't handle the heat." Another said: "Our rail system is a joke compared to Japan." Some noted the stadium view, joking: "At least you had a good view of the home of football."
Operator apology
A Great Northern spokesperson apologized: "We are extremely sorry for the difficult and very uncomfortable conditions passengers faced. The safety of our passengers is our topmost priority, which is why considerable efforts were made first to engage power and restart the train because the safest place for passengers is to remain on the train. When this was not possible, railway staff evacuated people along the track to Drayton Park station."
