Train services on the West Coast Main Line between London Euston and Scotland are being severely disrupted because of damage caused by the heat to multiple sections of the 25,000-volt overhead electric cables that power trains on the route.
Network Rail engineers are working to repair the damage, but passengers should check with National Rail Enquiries at www.nationalrail.co.uk before they set off on their journey as there are no direct trains between London and Scotland.
There will be fewer trains than normal will be running today, Wednesday 20th July, journeys will take much longer than normal, and could involve rail-replacement buses as work continues to repair the heat-damaged lines.
Network Rail teams have been working throughout the night trying to restore the power lines damaged at several locations, including:
- between Lancaster and Carnforth;
- at Harrow in North London;
- at Birmingham New Street;
- near Wolverhampton
The complex repair work will continue today in all these locations, which will mean fewer trains in and out of London Euston and rail-replacement buses between Preston and Carlisle.
Avanti West Coast also advises that train services may be cancelled on other routes out of London Euston.
Repair work is continuing right across the country's rail network after the extreme heat, but people are advised that journeys will take longer, and trains could be busier while services return to normal after the unprecedented temperatures put a huge strain on the railway.
For more information on how Network Rail repairs its overhead line equipment click here:
James Dean, Network Rail's West Coast South route director, said:
“We're sorry to passengers impacted by the damage caused to our overhead electric lines during the record-breaking heat. Specialist teams worked all night but have been unable to fix the cables in time for the start of service this morning. We're doing everything we can to get things back up and running. In the meantime, please check National Rail Enquiries before you set off on your journey as delays will continue today.”
It would have been really good if someone had explained in the article the nature of the damage caused by the hot weather. Was it lineside fires? Things (metal?) expanding more than allowed for in their design? We never found out on the national news what the actual damage was; I thought Rail Advent would have solved the mystery for us, but no!
As detailed in the article some of the damage was caused by a lineside fire, which caused trees to be on the overhead cables (as seen in one of the pictures)