Dozens of trains including rush-hour services have been cancelled due to the hot weather preventing services from running at full speed today. All 47 cancellations are listed below – see if you have been affected.
Heat-related speed restrictions imposed by Network Rail will be in place from noon onwards today on Greater Anglia lines, including the London Liverpool Street to Norwich main line.
It means no hourly service from London Liverpool Street to Norwich from noon until 7pm, while the half-hourly return service will also be cut between 12.30pm and 6.30pm.
No other train operators have yet imposed similar restrictions due to the hot weather, it is believed.
Network Rail’s engineering works, including the renewal of overhead lines and new rails, is expected to allow the region’s railway to cope better with hotter temperatures in the future. Other parts of the country are said to have already benefited from this upgrade work, meaning they have not had to impose speed restrictions and therefore cancellations as a result of the nationwide heatwave today.
In general, speed restrictions are imposed to exert less pressure on the rails and prevent them from buckling when they get too hot. Slower speeds are also imposed to protect overhead lines, which can sag during very high temperatures.
• See more in our Q&A about hot-weather related train disruption.
London to Ipswich trains will be cancelled at 5.18pm and 6.18pm – and at 3.52pm, 6.49pm and 7.52pm in the opposite direction.
The speed restrictions in place today are between Bow (just outside London Liverpool Street) to Seven Kings, and Brentwood to Shenfield, to prevent trains from damaging the overhead wires.
Network Rail say this is a much shorter section than previous years when restrictions were put in place between Bow and Chelmsford.
A Network Rail spokesman added: “This is because we have been working to replace the overhead wires with new wires that don’t sag in the hot weather, so trains can pass at their normal speed.”
With temperatures forecast to reach 32C today, Greater Anglia confirmed its trains will be required to slow down to protect the track from damage today.
The region’s operator said: “Due to even higher temperatures forecast for the region, Network Rail has imposed heat-related speed restrictions on the Norwich to London mainline, Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria line, Liverpool Street to Braintree lines, and other lines, from noon on Monday
“We are very sorry for any inconvenience caused by these heat-related speed restrictions and the amended timetable that we have to run as a result of the slower speeds.”
Advance purchase ticket holders can travel on earlier or later trains if their service is cancelled.
Passengers can check before they travel at greateranglia.co.uk or @greateranglia.
The 47 cancelled Greater Anglia services today
09:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 11:19
10:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 12:19
10:50 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 11:48
11:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 13:19
11:50 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 12:48
12:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 13:50
12:13 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 13:14
12:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 14:19
12:50 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 13:48
13:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 14:50
13:10 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 14:10
13:13 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 14:14
13:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 15:19
13:50 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 14:50
14:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 15:48
14:10 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 15:10
14:13 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 15:14
14:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 16:17
15:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 16:50
15:13 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 16:14
15:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 17:19
15:48 London Liverpool Street to Braintree due 16:51
15:52 Ipswich to London Liverpool Street due 17:16
16:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 17:53
16:10 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 17:13
16:17 London Liverpool Street to Witham due 17:06
16:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 18:19
17:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 18:42
17:18 London Liverpool Street to Ipswich due 18:35
17:22 London Liverpool Street to Southminster due 18:32
17:25 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 18:24
17:25 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 18:30
17:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 19:17
17:50 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 19:50
18:16 Witham to London Liverpool Street due 19:01
18:18 London Liverpool Street to Ipswich due 19:41
18:20 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 19:20
18:30 Norwich to London Liverpool Street due 20:20
18:35 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 19:37
18:36 Southminster to Shenfield due 19:36
18:49 Ipswich to London Liverpool Street due 20:14
19:00 London Liverpool Street to Norwich due 20:51
19:10 Southend Victoria to London Liverpool Street due 20:10
19:25 Braintree to London Liverpool Street due 20:23
19:35 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 20:34
19:52 Ipswich to London Liverpool Street due 21:16
20:35 London Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria due 21:34
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