Rail delays: 'Sorry your train is late. Have an ice-lolly’, commuters told

Heatwave causing big problems for passengers and operators as rails buckle

Commuters on Merseyrail are to be offered ice-lollies and chilled water by way of apology for disruption attributed to the heatwave.

Trains in the Liverpool area are among many to have suffered cancellations and disruption as a result of buckled rails, as well as the deployment of many trains to operate a shuttle between Central and Liverpool South Parkway while Lime Street station is being refurbished.

Merseyrail’s managing director, Andy Heath, said: “We are doing everything we can to keep services running.

“My team will be handing out free lolly ices and water between Kirkdale station and Ormskirk and Kirkby stations this evening as a small gesture of apology to our passengers.”

A week ago Network Rail imposed speed limits on some lines because of fears of the continuous welded rails buckling. While the maximum heat in the shade is around 30C, a combination of sunlight and energy generated by trains means the steel rails can reach temperatures approaching 50C.

The rail infrastructure is designed with a wide tolerance to changes in temperature, maintaining the correct track tension during a long and intense heatwave is difficult.

The speed limits have been imposed as a precaution against derailment, and to reduce the forces acting on the tracks.

Passengers at Britain’s busiest station, London Waterloo, can expect delays every afternoon and evening for the rest of the working week. The line between Waterloo, Clapham Junction, Wimbledon and New Malden is subject to speed restrictions after 11am every day.

As delays built, numerous rush-hour trains were cancelled.

There are also problems caused by a trespasser near Eastleigh and a signal failure between Basingstoke and Winchester.

At the height of the rush hour, longer-distance services from Weymouth, Bournemouth and Southampton were arriving at Waterloo 15-20 minutes late, with a consequent impact on departures.

Many services are disrupted elsewhere in the capital and beyond.

Trains between Heathrow Terminal 4, the airport’s main station and London Paddington were cancelled for a time as a result of a broken-down train.

In addition, all the shuttles from the Heathrow Central area to Terminal 4 have been cancelled “due to more trains than usual needing repairs at the same time”.

At London Charing Cross, a signal failure at the height of the rush-hour led to one of the six platforms being closed.

Almost every evening rush-hour train from Leeds departed late, and some were cancelled, as a result of a points failure.

The line from Warrington Bank Quay to Chester was temporarily closed after a trackside fire.