Weather records tumbled on Tuesday as London experienced its hottest May day ever, with temperatures reaching 35°C in Kew Gardens, surpassing Monday's 34.8°C. The previous May peak of 32.8°C, set in 1922 and 1944, was broken for the second consecutive day.
The scorching heat caused severe travel disruption across the capital, with multiple rail services struggling to cope. South Western Railway reported all lines disrupted due to multiple signalling problems, track defects, and heat-related speed restrictions. Trains may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes, or revised, with disruption expected until the end of the day.
Heat-related incidents between Peterborough and Stevenage disrupted services to London King's Cross. A platform equipment problem at Deptford meant trains could not call at platform 2, affecting Southeastern and Thameslink services. Avanti West Coast services faced points and signalling failures at London Euston and between Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction, causing cancellations and delays of up to 50 minutes.
Speed restrictions due to high track temperatures were imposed between Watford Junction and London Euston & Clapham Junction, affecting Avanti West Coast, London Northwestern Railway, London Overground, and Southern services. Similarly, restrictions between London Liverpool Street and Cheshunt/Stratford caused reduced speeds. Several Tube and Overground lines also experienced delays, though some were not weather-related.
