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Monday 18 Jul 2022

"Do not travel” message for rail passengers extended to East Midlands route amid record-breaking forecast

Region & Route:

Eastern

Rail leaders in the East Midlands are warning that passengers will not be able to travel for significant parts of the day tomorrow (Tuesday 19 July).  It’s in response to forecast temperatures for the Midland Main Line which are higher than the design limits for track and overhead line equipment.   Extra safety precautions are being put in place, particularly between Bedford and London.  The East Coast Main Line is also closed to rail services during Tuesday.

There will be no Thameslink or Great Northern services north of London tomorrow.  EMR will run an extremely limited service between Derby and London and between Nottingham and London on Tuesday morning.  At lunchtime, services will stop running south of Leicester.  A limited EMR service to and from London may resume after 1900 if temperatures cool sufficiently.  There will be no EMR service between Corby and London St Pancras all day

Some of the very hottest temperatures on Tuesday are forecast along the A1/M1 corridor which run alongside the Midland Main Line and East Coast Main Line. 

Gary Walsh, route director for Network Rail in the East Midlands explained; “We’re sorry to have to close the Midland Main Line south of Bedford during the hottest part of the day tomorrow.  We want to offer the best possible service to passengers and closures are always a last resort. By putting in this ‘service break’ during the hottest temperatures we are protecting our ability to run a full service on Wednesday. 

“The data from today combined with our knowledge of the way our track and overhead line is constructed and the forecast for tomorrow means it’s right to further cut back the speed of trains on the network. 

“Our railway, like the rest of the country, is facing record temperatures this week.  We’ve been carefully monitoring our track and overhead power lines all day on Monday and the data tells us that the unprecedented forecast temperatures for tomorrow would require a blanket 20mph speed restriction during the very hottest part of the day. At that speed the train service would simply become unworkable on the busiest part of the network”

We will continue to carefully monitor the track north of Bedford and may need to put in short notice restrictions if the rail temperature is more than 60 degrees.

Paul Barnfield, Operations Director at EMR, said: “Urging people not to travel is never a decision we make lightly but, in this instance, with such extreme temperatures forecast, it is the right and sensible thing to do.

“Extreme heat can cause the tracks to buckle and bend and so we need to take sensible precautions to keep our customers and staff safe. On this occasion, we have been left with no alternative other than to urge customers not to travel.

“Customers with tickets for Tuesday can use them on Wednesday or contact us to discuss a refund or exchange.  

“Finally, I would like to thank our customers for their patience and understanding and hope they can find ways to avoid the worst of the heat.”

Jenny Saunders, Customer Services Director, Thameslink Great Northern said: “Due to extreme temperatures having a severe impact on railway infrastructure, there will be no Thameslink or Great Northern services north of London Blackfriars on Tuesday.

“We’re really sorry for the inconvenience this may cause but our number one priority will always be the safety of our passengers. Customers can use tickets for Tuesday on the following two days instead or get a refund or claim compensation.

“Elsewhere, we’d strongly advise passengers to only travel by rail if your journey is absolutely essential, especially to destinations along the coast, where there is likely to be significant disruption.”