Rail passengers confronted mass disruption throughout Britain right now as all trains out of London King’s Cross have been cancelled and there have been no direct providers between Euston and Scotland following the UK’s hottest day on file.
Operators together with LNER and Thameslink issued ‘don’t journey’ warnings once more, nearly each practice out of London St Pancras was axed and Eurostar passengers confronted delays of greater than an hour attributable to an influence failure in Lille.
King’s Cross resembled a dormitory this morning as stranded passengers slept on suitcases, tables and benches whereas ready for information of whether or not trains heading north would restart once more after they have been all cancelled yesterday.
The road between King’s Cross and Peterborough was shut after a significant hearth unfold onto the tracks at Sandy in Bedfordshire, inflicting injury to signalling tools and a stage crossing which each require complicated repairs.
The fireplace at Sandy additionally meant a deliberate inspection of greater than 250 miles of observe on the southern finish of the East Coast Important Line to see whether or not another tools was broken within the warmth has not but taken place.
And there might be additional disruption this afternoon when thunderstorms hit, with the Met Workplace issuing a warning from 1pm till 9pm saying flooding and lightning strikes might lead to ‘delays and a few cancellations’.
Most providers on the Transport for London community have been again up and working usually once more right now after two days of disruption, however there have been extreme delays on the Jubilee line after sign failure within the North Greenwich space.
There have been additionally minor delays reported on the Central, Circle and District strains – and on the Elizabeth line between Paddington and Heathrow and Studying due to late-finishing engineering work within the Ealing Broadway space.
The road between King’s Cross and Peterborough has been shut after the key hearth unfold onto the tracks at Sandy in Bedfordshire, inflicting injury to signalling tools and a stage crossing which each require complicated repairs
Groups from Community Rail are finishing up restore and restoration work after a significant hearth unfold onto the railway line at Sandy in Bedfordshire, which is on the East Coast Important Line route between Peterborough and London King’s Cross
Community Rail groups have been working all through the night time attempting to revive energy strains broken at Harrow in North West London, which is inflicting main disruption on the West Coast Important Line between London Euston and Glasgow
Passengers sleep on suitcase and benches at London King’s Cross this morning as all trains are cancelled out of the station
Passengers sleep on benches at London King’s Cross station this morning as all trains are cancelled out of the station
At King’s Cross right now, the queue for refunds and knowledge stretched alongside the concourse and eating places have been full. Amongst these attempting to journey right now was journalist Karen Bourne, who was making an attempt to get to Peterborough.
She instructed MailOnline: ‘I bought in from Barcelona yesterday and I used to be attributable to go to Peterborough final night time. Then I discovered that the trains have been cancelled and I booked a practice for 9am right now, however I heard there was a fireplace.
‘In order that’s fairly comprehensible if we will not journey. I am trying to attempt to share a cab with folks to get there.’
Retired trainer David Carr, 73, had been hoping to get to York together with his spouse Diane yesterday. He instructed MailOnline right now: ‘I suppose it is within the palms of the massive fella above.
‘With all this contemporary know-how you’ll hope that issues would run a bit extra easily. However there’s nothing the practice providers can do when the strains buckle underneath the warmth. It has been unprecedented climate.
‘My spouse and I do not know after we’ll be capable to get residence. Hopefully the trains will probably be working this afternoon.’
Simon Pumphrey, Infrastructure Director for Community Rail’s East Coast route, mentioned: ‘The warmth has brought on quite a few challenges for the railway. Our groups stay on web site to take care of the injury brought on by the hearth at Sandy.
‘We’re working as laborious as we will, however the complexity of the work means there will probably be extreme disruption to trains on the East Coast Important Line right now.
‘The incident has additionally disrupted our plans to manually examine the route between Peterborough and King’s Cross for another injury and perform any repairs, so we’ll be working right now to try this.
‘We’re sorry if this impacts in your plans and we’re doing what we will to restart providers as quickly as attainable. Within the meantime, please examine earlier than travelling through Nationwide Rail Enquiries or along with your practice operator.’
On the West Coast Important Line, there have been no direct trains between London and Scotland right now as Community Rail engineers labored to restore a number of sections of 25,000-volt overhead electrical cables which energy providers.
Groups labored all through the night time attempting to revive the ability strains that have been broken between Lancaster and Carnforth in Lancashire; at Harrow in North West London; at Birmingham New Road; and close to Wolverhampton.
This restore work continued right now in all areas which means fewer trains will probably be working out and in of London Euston, and rail alternative buses have been in operation between Preston in Lancashire and Carlisle in Cumbria.
Avanti West Coast mentioned its practice providers on different routes out of London Euston might also be cancelled.
James Dean, Community Rail’s West Coast South route director, mentioned: ‘We’re sorry to passengers impacted by the broken brought on to our overhead electrical strains through the record-breaking warmth.
‘Specialist groups labored all night time however have been unable to repair the cables in time for the beginning of service this morning. We’re doing every thing we will to get issues again up and working.’
There have been additionally main points at St Pancras, with all trains cancelled on the East Midlands Railway (EMR) route whereas engineers carried out security checks between London and Kettering. Companies have been anticipated to begin at 10am.
The one trains working out of St Pancras right now have been Eurostar and Southeastern Excessive Velocity providers to Kent. EMR mentioned there have been additionally checks happening between Cleethorpes and Barton-on-Humber, and Peterborough and Ely.
Rail passengers utilizing the Midland Important Line north from St Pancras are being suggested to not journey very first thing on Wednesday morning whereas security checks proceed. It follows file temperatures within the East Midlands on Tuesday which have been increased than the design limits for observe and overhead line tools.
Community Rail mentioned providers have been stopped on the Midland Important Line between Bedford and Kettering and London yesterday afternoon as a security precaution, and the protection checks might solely be made within the daylight right now.
There will probably be no Thameslink providers till late morning on the earliest right now on the routes between Bedford and London through St Albans; London and Sutton through Wimbledon or Mitcham Junctions, London and East Grinstead, Littlehampton or Orpington; and between Peterborough and Hitchin.
Gary Walsh, route director for Community Rail within the East Midlands, mentioned: ‘We’re actually sorry that the impression of the acute climate at first of this week is affecting passengers for a 3rd day. Our groups will probably be out travelling the rails at first mild to hold out the required inspections to permit us to completely reopen the community as quickly as attainable.
‘So long as no critical faults are discovered we anticipate to have the route between Bedford and London open through the morning and the strains out to Kettering quickly afterwards. We have now additional response groups on shift who will reply as rapidly as attainable if any injury is discovered. I would ask all passengers to examine along with your operator earlier than you set off.’
The Caledonian Sleeper which runs in a single day providers between Euston and Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Inverness, was suspended – with some passengers spending the night time on trains held in London or Scotland.
Nationwide Rail has instructed prospects to examine earlier than setting off on their journeys and to solely journey if completely needed.
West Coast passengers are being urged to examine earlier than they set off after a tree fell onto the observe at Harrow throughout a fireplace
Drone picture of energy strains broken following a fireplace at Harrow in North West London which is inflicting main disruption right now
Passengers sleep on tables at a Wasabi department at London King’s Cross right now as all trains are cancelled out of the station
Passengers look ahead to updates at London King’s Cross station this morning as all trains are cancelled out of the station
It mentioned on its web site: ‘An enormous quantity of labor has been accomplished in a single day to repair issues with the observe and overhead wires brought on by the warmth yesterday.
‘Community Rail groups are persevering with to work tirelessly to make the repairs so we will get providers again up and working for passengers however there’s nonetheless disruption to providers all through the day. So, for anybody travelling right now, please take time to examine earlier than you journey.’
Community Rail mentioned passenger numbers yesterday have been round 40 per cent decrease than the identical day final week.
Overhead electrical wires have been down in Rugby, Birmingham and Carlisle, resulting in a variety of trains being trapped and emergency evacuations of passengers.
Community Rail Wales apologised for having to shut the Cambrian Line between Dovey Junction and Aberystwyth ‘attributable to excessive warmth’. And no rail providers have been working into or out of London King’s Cross yesterday.
It comes as after temperatures topped 40C within the UK for the primary time ever.
A brand new file for the most popular day ever seen, of 40.3C, was recorded in Coningsby, in Lincolnshire, yesterday afternoon – beating the earlier file of 38.7C in Cambridge three years in the past, by 1.6C.
Amid the sweltering warmth, main incidents have been introduced by hearth brigades in London, Leicestershire and South Yorkshire as dozens of fires broke out amid the sweltering warmth – with flames ripping by way of homes, colleges and church buildings.
The temperature is about to drop by as much as 10C in some areas right now, with heavy showers and thunderstorms to lash components of the nation, probably inflicting localised flooding.
The Met Workplace mentioned 34 commentary websites throughout England provisionally broke the earlier all-time file, starting from Bramham, in West Yorkshire, to Charlwood, in Surrey, whereas an additional 5 had equalled it yesterday.
A complete of six websites, largely in Higher London, noticed temperatures attain or exceed 40C.
Nonetheless, two ‘large-scale’ incidents happened in Upminster and the village of Wennington in East London, the place black smoke billowed into the air, whereas flames destroyed buildings and ravaged close by fields.
A number of different vital incidents additionally occurred within the capital, with folks urged to not have barbecues or bonfires because of the ‘unprecedented’ challenges crews face.
Elsewhere, a critical blaze occurred in Barnsley when a row of homes within the Moorland Avenue space was consumed by flames, with crews persevering with to battle fires elsewhere within the space.
Doncaster Council mentioned a significant blaze in Clayton additionally unfold to 3 residential properties and there have been experiences of homes on hearth within the Kiverton Park and Maltby areas of Rotherham.
9 folks have died since Saturday in swimming accidents.
Interim deputy chief government of NHS Suppliers, Miriam Deakin, mentioned the heatwave was forcing hospitals to cut back the variety of deliberate surgical procedures and set up cooling items and attempt to calm down IT server rooms.
And an East of England Ambulance Service spokesman mentioned the service had seen above-average name numbers since Monday afternoon and it anticipated to nonetheless be seeing an impression from heat-related sickness into the weekend.
The Met Workplace has issued a thunderstorm warning from 1pm till 9pm right now saying flooding and lightning strikes might hit
Street congestion in a number of cities, together with Birmingham, London and Manchester was down yesterday, as folks heeded recommendation to not journey, whereas commuter numbers have been additionally down on the Tube and bus providers within the capital.
And gross sales of followers, ice cream and paddling swimming pools and burgers rocketed because the heatwave sparked a spending spree on summer season necessities, in keeping with retailers, whereas tech specialists urged smartphone customers to maintain their devices out of the solar to make sure they proceed working correctly.
The Met Workplace mentioned there could be a showery and thundery breakdown of the warmth right now, with a yellow warning for thunderstorms in place for components of south east, east and central England within the afternoon and night.
It warns folks to anticipate flooding or lightning strikes, delays and a few cancellations to coach and bus providers, spray and sudden flooding, highway closures and attainable energy cuts.
Will probably be more energizing for many locations, though some components of East Anglia will nonetheless see temperatures attain as excessive as 30C. Immediately’s rain, the place it happens, will probably be a lot heavier than yesterday.