UK heatwave: Sussex train services subject to speed restrictions

Network Rail, Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express, are advising passengers to check before they travel on Monday (June 30) and Tuesday (July 1) this week, particularly on the sections of the Brighton Main Line where speed restrictions will be in place.

Rail temperatures are predicted to soar with the mercury hitting 50C on the track itself, forcing the implementation of blanket speed restrictions by Network Rail on part of the Brighton Main Line to ensure everyone’s safety, the company said.

The speed restriction will be in place on both Monday and Tuesday.

To keep trains running at these lower speeds, a revised timetable is being introduced which is summarised online at each train operator’s website, Network Rail added.

The Southern, Thameslink, and Gatwick Express websites and other online journey planners such as nationalrail.co.uk are being updated with the revised times.

A spokesperson for Network Rail and the train operators said: “With temperatures set to soar as forecast by the Met Office, speed restrictions have to be imposed across large parts of the network to ensure everyone’s safety.

“We’re sorry but this means we won’t be able to run as many trains as normal and journeys will take longer. Trains that are running will also be much busier. If you are able to work from home then that may be your best option.

“If you do take the train, then please remember to take a bottle of water and if you begin to feel unwell, seek help at the next station and speak to station staff. Pulling emergency alarms onboard may delay us getting help to you.”

Network Rail said rails in direct sunlight can be up to 20°C hotter than the air temperature. Steel rails expand as they get hotter and can start to curve, a phenomenon known as ‘buckling’.

Most of the network can operate when track temperatures reach up to 46°C, which is roughly equivalent to an air temperature of around 30°C. However, rails have been recorded at temperatures as high as 51°C.

The Network Rail spokesperson said: “When our remote monitoring systems detect that a section of track might be expanding too much, we introduce local speed restrictions. Slower trains exert lower forces on the track, reducing the chance of buckling.”