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Tuesday 26 May 2026

Scotland’s railway ready for summer as hot weather arrives

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

As a spell of hot weather begins across Scotland, Network Rail engineers have been preparing for the challenges it can bring to the railway.  

While summer brings longer days and warmer temperatures, it also brings with it issues such as track expansion, flooding, lightning strikes and an increased risk of lineside fires. All of which can cause disruption to services.  

To tackle this, since March teams have carried out essential maintenance and upgrades, including painting the railway to help reduce track temperatures, rail stressing, and enhanced inspections to identify potential issues. 

With major events including the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe set to draw millions of visitors in the coming months, this work is essential to ensuring the railway continues to operate safely and reliably. 

Rail stressing is a key part of ensuring this. By setting rails to a neutral temperature, engineers help them cope with temperature changes, reducing the risk of buckles in hot weather and breaks in colder conditions. 

For example, in Perthshire more than four miles of rail has been stressed to better withstand temperature changes. Engineers have also completed large-scale ballast work and the clearance of more than 160,000 square metres of vegetation to improve visibility of signals and crossings. 

A £1.1m upgrade near Glasgow Central is also boosting the railway’s resilience ahead of the summer, with points at Muirhouse Junction being replaced with more robust equipment to reduce the risk of failures during periods of high heat. 

Across the wider network, teams are carrying out a wide range of activity to keep services running smoothly, including: 

• Painting sections of rail white to reflect heat and help keep track temperatures lower 

• Installing and monitoring remote sensors to track rail temperatures in real time 

• Carrying out enhanced inspections of track, overhead lines and key assets 

• Managing lineside vegetation to maintain clear visibility of signals and prevent disruption 

• Maintaining drainage systems and carrying out flood resilience checks 

• Protecting signalling and telecoms equipment from weather-related damage 

• Increasing weather monitoring and working closely with forecasting partners to respond to changing conditions 

Craig Milne, operations director at Network Rail, said: “We know summer is one of the busiest times of the year for Scotland’s railway, with major events bringing more people onto the network. 

“Our teams have been working hard to get everything in place ahead of the season, from targeted maintenance and inspections to using the latest technology to monitor conditions in real time. 

“This is about being prepared and making sure we continue to provide a safe and reliable service, helping to keep Scotland moving throughout the summer.”