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Heatwave of 2003 Speed Limits

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pt_mad

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Can anyone else remember the August 2003 heatwave (which set the record for the hottest UK temperature ever recorded)?

I remember the 60mph speed limit imposed on the WCML. Got stuck in Crewe and had an amusing journey back down to Nuneaton.

Was this a blanket speed restriction? Ayone else suffer delays?

Also has it happened since??
 
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pt_mad

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Yes you are correct, the same speed restriction was in place on the ECML as well (60mph), i dont know if it was blanket everywhere or just after a certain point coming south?? God it was hot, i seem to remember on my layover in London going for a walk along Euston Road and my shirt sticking to me in minutes. Didnt Heathrow record the UK hotest temp ever in that period? Rails buckling was indeed the reason, GNER ran an emergency timetable for a number of days.
 

pt_mad

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Yes you are correct, the same speed restriction was in place on the ECML as well (60mph), i dont know if it was blanket everywhere or just after a certain point coming south?? God it was hot, i seem to remember on my layover in London going for a walk along Euston Road and my shirt sticking to me in minutes. Didnt Heathrow record the UK hotest temp ever in that period? Rails buckling was indeed the reason, GNER ran an emergency timetable for a number of days.

Yeah the hottest ever UK temp and the heatwave lasted weeks.

Before that in July there was a seperate heatwave also with temperatures in the 30s daily.

And my nan says it was hotter in the 60s!
 

Bald Rick

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Heatwave on the Misery Line GEML last year caused temporary speed limits: http://www.metro.co.uk/news/867591-train-delays-caused-by-rail-tracks-overheating

This is nothing new. There are pre set speed restrictions on the GEML fixed tension OLE which runs from Stratford to Chelmsford and Southend Vic. Because it is fixed, warm temperatures cause it to sag, and dewirements are more likely. Speed restrictions lower the risk of a dewirement and the Amount of damage if it does happen.

At a forecast temp of 25C all electric trains are limited to 80mph, which in reality has no impact on the service. At a forecast temp of 28C all electric trains are limited to 60mph. This has been implemented at some point every year for as long as I can remember.

The difference in 2011 was that the Temps got so high that the live wires on the saggiest section (at Stratford) came close enough to the roof of a train to flashover.

Happily the Stratford issue has now been sorted, and when the OLE work is finished in 2014 the speed restrictions will not be imposed between Stratford and Chelmsford.
 

Ascot

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That was a fun time, 170s and 150s replacing 323s on stopping services where possible around Birmingham. Not sure of any TSRs around the area though. This happened also on the 2005(or 06) heatwave we had. 2007 was obviously the return of ferry trains!
 

387star

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I was on holiday in Scotland in 2003. Came back on GNER from Aviemore. The train was diverted via the Hertford Loop. Alighting in Kings Cross the heat was so powerful it felt like you were stepping into an oven... never forget that.
 

tempests1

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70 MPH Speed Restrictions were in force for the BML1 Line Waterloo to Southampton & the rest of the SWT Network for 2 days if I recall correctly
 

marks87

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I was caught up in this. Ended up stranded at Birmingham New Street after my (then) Virgin CrossCountry service to York was cancelled. Then when a service did run, it was rammed and the air conditioning in Coach D was kaput, so we were allowed into the practically empty First Class.

The delay was enough to get complimentary refreshments at New Street, which then continued on the train. We got to York at the back of midnight, a mere 3 hours or so late. A few others were going to to Newcastle and were just in time to catch the last northbound GNER service.
 

wintonian

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Ah yes I thought it was 70mph, not a huge impact IIRC, but minor 15 - 20 min type delays.

Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk
 

313103

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Silverlink Metro had a blanket speed of 20mph on the NLL, WLL and the GOB.
 

shedman

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I was working the MML rio services at the time. I cant remember what the restriction over the Hope Valley was but it was a great trip watching the scenery slowly pass by.
 

The Informer

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Can anyone else remember the August 2003 heatwave (which set the record for the hottest UK temperature ever recorded)?

I remember the 60mph speed limit imposed on the WCML. Got stuck in Crewe and had an amusing journey back down to Nuneaton.

Was this a blanket speed restriction? Ayone else suffer delays?

Also has it happened since??





We had speed restrictions last week on the Cambrian!!! Unusually warm couple of days led to restrictions placed on unstressed Renewal sites.
 

CosherB

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1976 was the hottest summer I recall.

As for speed limits, far worse were those following the derailment on ECML near Potters bar caused by rail 'gauge corner cracking'. Railtrack didn't have good enough records to predict any other locations that might be suffering GCC, so very low speed limits were imposed on all lines! 4 or 5 hours Manchester to London was typical!
 

jopsuk

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I managed to get a bike conveyed on a rail replacement coach after the rails went soft in the New Forest that summer
 

Essexman

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August 2003 I was travelling to Preston for West Ham's first away game of the season (just after our previous relegation). It was an early kick off for TV and we were concerned we'd miss the start due to the speed restrictions, but they weren't imposed until 11am by which time we were nealry there.
 
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