Britain's rail network is bracing itself for a week of chaos as extreme heat takes hold. Train operators have cancelled thousands of services, warning of the danger of overhead wires sagging, rails buckling and lineside fires - all exacerbated by soaring temperatures.
Major operators including Avanti West Coast and Chiltern Railways have introduced reduced timetables, with some routes severely curtailed. To mitigate the disruption, they are allowing passengers to travel on earlier services or claim a full refund if they choose not to travel at all. For example, Avanti West Coast has warned customers of a "risk of further disruption" and advised them to consider whether their journey is essential.
Great Western Railway (GWR) has gone further, urging passengers to use its services only for "essential travel" on Wednesday and Thursday, in line with the Met Office's severe red warning for extreme heat. The operator fears prolonged high temperatures could affect equipment on its older regional train fleet - including engines and cooling systems.
Disruption is widespread, with Transport for Wales experiencing issues on several routes, including between Pontypridd and Cardiff Bay, and Coryton and Penarth. South Western Railway (SWR) has issued an alert for reduced services between Tuesday and Thursday, while London Underground faces major disruption - including a full suspension of the Circle line due to signalling failure.