UK Train Services Face Disruptions from Heat-Related Speed Limits

Train services across Britain encountered widespread disruption Tuesday after Network Rail imposed speed restrictions on tracks to prevent damage from high temperatures. South Western Railway issued an alert stating that services across its network may be revised throughout the day.

Several afternoon and early evening trains were cancelled on routes including London Waterloo to Weymouth via Winchester, Southampton and Bournemouth, and London Waterloo to Aldershot via Woking and Guildford. Some services between Exeter St Davids, Salisbury and London Waterloo terminated early at Basingstoke.

A signalling failure at London Waterloo added further delays, following an earlier report of smoke between the station and Vauxhall.

Enquiries reported that Elizabeth line services between London Liverpool Street and Stratford were disrupted. LNER said two speed restrictions limited trains to 20 mph on sections normally operating at 125 mph near St Neots, Cambridgeshire, and Tollerton, North Yorkshire.

LNER also adjusted its fleet, running more Azuma trains instead of InterCity 225 sets because the former have better air conditioning.

Northern cancelled services between Cambridge and Kings Lynn after damage to overhead electric wires. Officials stated that disruption was expected to continue until 4:30 pm. The East Anglian Daily Times reported that a section of the A143 road near Stanton melted in the heat.

Highway crews applied sand and granite dust to stabilise the surface. The AA recorded 34,124 breakdown callouts from Friday to Monday, a 15 percent increase over the same period in 2025. Sunday and Monday each saw a 21 percent rise in calls compared with the previous year.