Heat related issues (25 July 2019 and subsequent days)

[londonmidland]

Just a heads up. With tomorrow potentially experiencing record breaking temperatures (up to 40 degrees), quite a few TOC's have an amended service in place to minimise delays and are also advising not to travel unless necessary.

Up to date information is available on the National Rail Enquires website.

The heat is expected to peak around mid-afternoon with, from what I've seen over the past few days, problems occurring virtually anywhere over the network.

Expect tomorrow to be quite a mess around the network and leave plenty of time for your journey, as well as being prepared for any delays and/or alterations or cancellations.

 

[Mag_seven]

and are also advising not to travel unless necessary

I suppose for most people going to work is "necessary" so they will travel.

 

[infobleep]

I suppose for most people going to work is "necessary" so they will travel.

Some people can choose to work from home.

Fortunately so far South Western Railway are not listed, so perhaps they will get off more lightly for once. We shall see.

I have stuff to do so will be travelling. If I didn't I would take their advice.

I've noticed a lot of air con failing in this continued heat. Not to mention people saying the heating is on, in some carriages. I wonder if that is just the air con not working.

On one service it was suggested passengers switching carriages but I read comment from someone on Twitter saying there wasn't the space to switch.

 

[gazzaa2]

The trains have held up remarkably well.

 

[king_walnut]

Just to explain to people why these restrictions are in place:

Metal rails expand when they get hot. That's physics. If you welded them together at 10C and the temperature jumps to 30C, then the expansion will result in the rails wiggling as there's no room for them to expand, so they end up getting squished and they can buckle.

Engineers account for this by essentially stretching them when they're welded together. That way the heat will cause the rails to come back into their pre-stretched state instead of having them wiggle. If it's hotter than the pre-stretching compensated for then they'll still expand to the point of getting squished, alas the train can't go at full speed because it's dangerous to do so along rails that aren't straight.

As you might guess, the process of pre-stretching them costs money, and the price increases the more they're stretched. Someone somewhere crunched the numbers on what temperature it's worth spending money on dealing with (also accounting for winter lows) and that's how we have what we have.

Countries that have hotter summers will have also done these calculations and come up with a higher number, which is why you hear cries of "But the trains are running fine in Mexico and it's 40C!!!!", it's because it's common enough to spend money coping with it there but not here.

So yes it's annoying, but maybe knowing the reason will help a bit.

 

[gazzaa2]

Countries that have hotter summers will have also done these calculations and come up with a higher number, which is why you hear cries of "But the trains are running fine in Mexico and it's 40C!!!!", it's because it's common enough to spend money coping with it there but not here.

So yes it's annoying, but maybe knowing the reason will help a bit.

Same when it's minus 10 or snowing and "but they cope in Canada".

The trains do a remarkable job of dealing with unseasonable weather. Problem these days is people expect perfection.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

There was one or 2 clips on YouTube of a track buckling. Is that actually real or can tracks buckle that at the same speed as when you blink?

In the video, it sounds similar to a gate being opened.

 

[Peter C]

Does anyone know if a fault on a train earlier today on the Cotswold Line (I think) was caused by heat? The 1809 at Kingham was delayed by 20 odd minutes because the train in front of it (at some point) developed a fault. Seen as we have had some boiling temperatures around here today, I wouldn't be surprised if an IET had overheated.

-Peter

 

[westv]

LNER are saving reduced service but they aren't currently saying what the reduced service is.

 

[jamesontheroad]

I’m on 1P59 1800 NRW-LST, 29 late leaving Witham due to signalling problems around Colchester. No word yet if this is also heat related. Conductor has been proactive in reminding us during every announcement that a reduced schedule will be in effect tomorrow. No buffet south of Colchester due to defective air conditioning in coach H.

 

[Iskra]

I was on a couple of West Country GWR services that ran slower due to the heat earlier- Weymouth-Westbury and Westbury-Bath. But then the Bath-London IET reached Reading 3 mins early.

ECML has had delays all day but not heat related.

 

[Peter C]

I was on a couple of West Country GWR services that ran slower due to the heat earlier- Weymouth-Westbury and Westbury-Bath. But then the Bath-London IET reached Reading 3 mins early.

ECML has had delays all day but not heat related.

The ECML delays are probably due to the overhead wires being down recently.

-Peter

 

[Bromley boy]

Just to explain to people why these restrictions are in place:

Metal rails expand when they get hot. That's physics. If you welded them together at 10C and the temperature jumps to 30C, then the expansion will result in the rails wiggling as there's no room for them to expand, so they end up getting squished and they can buckle.

Engineers account for this by essentially stretching them when they're welded together. That way the heat will cause the rails to come back into their pre-stretched state instead of having them wiggle. If it's hotter than the pre-stretching compensated for then they'll still expand to the point of getting squished, alas the train can't go at full speed because it's dangerous to do so along rails that aren't straight.

As you might guess, the process of pre-stretching them costs money, and the price increases the more they're stretched. Someone somewhere crunched the numbers on what temperature it's worth spending money on dealing with (also accounting for winter lows) and that's how we have what we have.

Countries that have hotter summers will have also done these calculations and come up with a higher number, which is why you hear cries of "But the trains are running fine in Mexico and it's 40C!!!!", it's because it's common enough to spend money coping with it there but not here.

So yes it's annoying, but maybe knowing the reason will help a bit.

An excellent, informative posting. Many thanks.

 

[Iskra]

The ECML delays are probably due to the overhead wires being down recently.

-Peter

No, lightning strike overnight at Outwood/Wakefield and I think signal failure in the North East.

 

[Peter C]

No, lightning strike overnight at Outwood/Wakefield and I think signal failure in the North East.

Oh OK. Apologies.

-Peter

 

[Peter C]

An excellent, informative posting. Many thanks.

It essentially goes back to the whole "British things aren't designed for hot weather", doesn't it? If we built our railways like they do in Mexico, yes, they'd be amazing for the few weeks of Summer we have, but for the rest of the year they'd just be alright. Nothing more and nothing less.

-Peter

 

[westv]

Were the similar across the board speed restrictions in 2003 when the UK reàched a record temperature?

 

[philthetube]

Just to explain to people why these restrictions are in place:

Metal rails expand when they get hot. That's physics. If you welded them together at 10C and the temperature jumps to 30C, then the expansion will result in the rails wiggling as there's no room for them to expand, so they end up getting squished and they can buckle.

Engineers account for this by essentially stretching them when they're welded together. That way the heat will cause the rails to come back into their pre-stretched state instead of having them wiggle. If it's hotter than the pre-stretching compensated for then they'll still expand to the point of getting squished, alas the train can't go at full speed because it's dangerous to do so along rails that aren't straight.

As you might guess, the process of pre-stretching them costs money, and the price increases the more they're stretched. Someone somewhere crunched the numbers on what temperature it's worth spending money on dealing with (also accounting for winter lows) and that's how we have what we have.

Countries that have hotter summers will have also done these calculations and come up with a higher number, which is why you hear cries of "But the trains are running fine in Mexico and it's 40C!!!!", it's because it's common enough to spend money coping with it there but not here.

So yes it's annoying, but maybe knowing the reason will help a bit.

Pity there isn't a post of the month award, this would get it.

 

[Bromley boy]

It essentially goes back to the whole "British things aren't designed for hot weather", doesn't it? If we built our railways like they do in Mexico, yes, they'd be amazing for the few weeks of Summer we have, but for the rest of the year they'd just be alright. Nothing more and nothing less.

-Peter

Yes indeed.

Although, if our railways were built to the same tolerances as Mexico’s, I doubt they’d be fit for purpose during our far colder winters!

 

[westv]

Were the similar across the board speed restrictions in 2003 when the UK reàched a record temperature?

To answer my own question
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/3126799.stm

 

[Peter C]

Yes indeed.

Although if our railways were built to the same tolerances as Mexico’s I doubt they’d be fit for purposes in our far colder winters!

Exactly! We can't get everything perfect, and we've opted for the best option for our country.

-Peter

 

[ChiefPlanner]

When I had a "proper job" , I went out one evening peak onto the Gospel Oak Barking line - haunt of crap 117's and mechanical signalling. Very hot temperatures , humid.

Running into South Tottenham - Barking bound , just before the junction - the rails buckled badly right in front of us. About 1800 - very hot. So we stopped (short) , spoke to the box and with a very senior driver at the helm (having had the other line blocked termporarily) - went over at extreme caution - like 2 miles an hour - got clear.

The PW had it all in hand on our return. This was at low speed. That is why the industry has speed restrictions. Plenty of evidence in Accident reports on CWR derailments way back - Sarnau / Berkhampstead.

 

[Andyh82]

I've noticed a lot of air con failing in this continued heat. Nit to mention people saying the heating is on, in some carriages. I wonder if that is just the air con not working..

The amount of people getting on non air conditioned trains, or indeed buses, feeling the heat, and then assuming the heating is on, and moaning on Twitter about it.

They’ve obviously never stepped foot in a greenhouse and realised the heating isn’t on in there either.

 

[Alfie1014]

I’m on 1P59 1800 NRW-LST, 29 late leaving Witham due to signalling problems around Colchester. No word yet if this is also heat related. Conductor has been proactive in reminding us during every announcement that a reduced schedule will be in effect tomorrow. No buffet south of Colchester due to defective air conditioning in coach H.

Signal failure on the down line north of Chelmsford, resulting in delays and congestion. A few trains (3?)?were run down the up line to Witham which resulted in the backlog on the Up road. At one point there were 7 trains waiting to go up road, 2 Norwich, 2 EMU, 2 liners and an up Braintree.

 

[gazthomas]

Can't wait for my trip from St. Albans via London to Preston for a 30 minute meeting tomorrow. Web conferencing isn't always accepted by clients. Wish me luck!

 

[westv]

Flippin typical. Any other week I'd be travelling home on Friday and would miss tomorrow's disruption. This week my office is closed on Friday so I will be travelling tomorrow and now I am not surprised to see that LNER have cancelled their one service to Hull.

 

[cuccir]

LNER have cancelled the xx:03 trains to Leeds from 12:03 onwards (as well as the 08:03) up to and including the 17:03, all of the York/Newark stoppers, and the 17:18 to Hull, 17:48 to Leeds, 18:18 to Newcastle, 18:33 to Bradford, 19:06 to Lincoln and 19:33 to Leeds. Southbound cancellations are mainly the return runs of these trains, that is, the xx:45 services from Leeds as well as the 06:30 from Newcastle and 06:40 from Leeds.

They've also put out a request for St Johns Ambulance volunteers to assist at stations.

 

[irish_rail]

Were the similar across the board speed restrictions in 2003 when the UK reàched a record temperature?

Loads of speed restrictions 2003 the like of which I haven't seen since, although I expect tomorrow could be an exception

 

[westv]

LNER have cancelled the xx:03 trains to Leeds from 12:03 onwards (as well as the 08:03) up to and including the 17:03, all of the York/Newark stoppers, and the 17:18 to Hull, 17:48 to Leeds, 18:18 to Newcastle, 18:33 to Bradford, 19:06 to Lincoln and 19:33 to Leeds. Southbound cancellations are mainly the return runs of these trains, that is, the xx:45 services from Leeds as well as the 06:30 from Newcastle and 06:40 from Leeds.

They've also put out a request for St Johns Ambulance volunteers to assist at stations.

At the moment the 17:33 to Harrogate has spare unreserved 1st class seats so I will probably go for that and change at Doncaster. I assume we can claim delay repay if >30 mins late.

 

[greaterwest]

Some people can choose to work from home.

Fortunately so far South Western Railway are not listed, so perhaps they will get off more lightly for once. We shall see.

I have stuff to do so will be travelling. If I didn't I would take their advice.

I've noticed a lot of air con failing in this continued heat. Nit to mention people saying the heating is on, in some carriages. I wonder if that is just the air con not working.

On one service it was suggested passengers switching carriages but I read comment from someone on Twitter saying their wasn't the space to switch.

It would be naïve to think that there won't be issues on the SWR tomorrow and I'm honestly surprised they haven't even considered the possibility of a reduced service considering other London commuter TOCs have. In the past they have implemented a special service for lower temperatures, and Woking is forecast to have temps of up to 36c...

Best of luck to you.