Hot weather across the network
Hot temperatures are forecast across South Western Railway’s network this weekend.
On warm days rails in direct sunshine can be as much as 20 degrees centigrade above air temperature. As rails are made from steel, they expand as they heat up and are subject to strong compression. Because of this, speed restrictions can be imposed to trains which may cause delays. Hot weather can cause significant problems on the railway such as:
- Risk of compression
- Line side fires
- Buckling of track
Network Rail engineers will be monitoring rail temperatures around the network. For more information on how weather can affect the transport network please visit here: https://www.networkrail.co.uk/running-the-railway/looking-after-the-railway/delays-explained/buckled-rail-and-summer-heat/.
Services may be altered so that trains can be used to inspect the line and rapid response staff will be deployed across our network ready to act if poor rail conditions are reported.
Speed restrictions
There may be some speed restrictions in place, depending on the weather, which could cause some services to be delayed.
Travelling safely with South Western Railway
Here are few tips to consider before travelling, so you and others can travel safely on our network.
Hot temperatures - as temperatures rise across our network, here are a few tips to help you keep comfortable and safe in hot weather:
- Carry water with you
- Do not board a train service if you feel unwell
- If you are travelling and feel unwell, please get off at the next stop and seek help from our staff
- Avoid pulling the passenger alarm between stations, as help can be more easily obtained with the train in a platform and not standing stationary on a railway line
Please be advised that due to COVID-19 there are no catering facilities on board our services and only limited services are available on our stations.
Passengers should remember to travel with a face covering on services at all times and to observe social distancing in carriages where possible to allow everyone to travel safely.
For more information on how to keep safe during the pandemic, please check here: https://www.southwesternrailway.com/travelling-with-us/coronavirus-travel-information
For more information and to check your journey, please see southwesternrailway.com.
