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Tuesday 4 Aug 2026

Network Rail and the National Railway Museum join forces to highlight challenges hot weather poses to train travel

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National

Visitors to the National Railway Museum in York can explore how increasingly hot and dry weather is affecting Britain's railway – thanks to a new garden collaboration with Network Rail.

The museum, which is free to visit, is now home to Network Rail's ‘Summer Rail Garden’. Originally displayed at London Victoria station, the installation helps bring to life the challenges that extreme weather can create for the railway, and some of the measures being taken to help keep passengers and freight moving safely and reliably.

The garden’s arrival comes during a summer that has already seen three heatwaves – including record-breaking temperatures in June – across Britain with hot and dry conditions set to continue into August.

Impacts of hot weather on the rail network include:

• Buckled rails - High temperatures cause steel rails to expand, which can lead to them bending or buckling. This can require trains to run at lower speeds to be safer.
• Soil moisture deficit - Prolonged dry weather causes clay soils and embankments to shrink, increasing the risk of ground movement that can affect track stability.
• Sagging overhead lines - Heat reduces the tension of overhead wires on electrified routes, increasing the risk of sagging or wires making contact with trains, which can disrupt services.
• Overheating equipment - Extreme temperatures can cause signalling and other electrical systems to overheat, increasing the likelihood of faults.
• Lineside wildfires – Drier vegetation during hot weather can create a higher risk of wildfires, near the railway just as elsewhere, with a variety of possible causes. These incidents can cause significant disruption to services.

Lisa Angus, Network Rail's industry weather response director, said: “Due to the effects of climate change, periods of extreme heat and dry weather are becoming more frequent. This summer has already demonstrated some of the challenges that hotter conditions can bring for the railway, with impacts on track, ground conditions, and power and signalling systems.

"The Summer Rail Garden helps explain these impacts in a way that is accessible and engaging, showing visitors how high temperatures can affect rail infrastructure and why adaptation is becoming increasingly important.

“We’re planning years in advance to adapt to changing weather conditions through proactive monitoring and investment in smart technologies – including remote sensors and innovative cooling solutions – to protect critical infrastructure and keep passengers moving safely and reliably during extreme weather.”

Sarah Price, Head of Public Programmes for the National Railway Museum, said: "Throughout its history, railway infrastructure has adapted and evolved to meet new challenges. As climate change brings more frequent periods of extreme weather, understanding how the railway is responding and innovating has become an important part of that story.

"This new garden, kindly donated to us by Network Rail, provides an interesting and accessible way for visitors to learn more about the challenges hot and dry weather can create for the railway, as well as the solutions being developed to help build a more resilient network for the future.”

The garden will be open to the public until late Summer 2026.