Temporary speed restrictions were imposed on large parts of the rail and tube network, including the London Underground system. Entire lines have canceled service as a precaution amid fears forecasts of extreme temperatures could cause rails to buckle. And bold red warnings were posted at stations and on social media urging people to reconsider their journeys. But despite warnings to only make essential journeys and guidance urging would-be commuters to stay at home, many Londoners felt they had no choice but to use the city’s Underground network and other trains on Monday. morning. Rufus Cameron, 26, who lives on the third floor of a shared house in north London, had decided to escape the heat of the city for his parents’ house in the south of England and was waiting for the train on Monday morning. “Our apartment is hot, it’s hot outside, it’s all pretty much,” he said. “In England, we have no idea how to deal with this kind of heat.” While he said he was worried about possible delays to the national rail service that would take him home, he hoped that leaving before the temperatures rose too much would save him any trouble. “But what can we do with the infrastructure we have in England,” he added. “It’s not built for that.” In London, where some of the most extreme temperatures are expected – Tuesday’s forecast called for a high of 103 degrees Fahrenheit – some Underground lines were suspended on Monday and Tuesday, according to a statement from Transport for London, which operates the network . Just 40 per cent of the Underground network is air-conditioned and Transport for London advised passengers to carry water and consider journeys for cooler parts of the day. Commuters tried to keep their cool on the London Underground on Sunday. Credit…Maja Smiejkowska/Reuters National rail services are also bracing for disruptions to thousands of miles of steel tracks, which absorb heat easily and can buckle, causing severe delays. Steel rails expand when heated and can push into adjacent pieces of track, which can also damage equipment that detects where trains are to keep them at a safe distance from each other, according to Network Rail, which owns and repairs the rail infrastructure in England, Scotland and Wales. In a statement, the company warned of delays, cancellations and last-minute changes to train routes on Monday and Tuesday. It also closed the entire East Coast Main Line, which runs between London King’s Cross station and York and Leeds, for Tuesday afternoon. “Closing the line to traffic is always a last resort, but it’s the right thing to do to keep people safe on Tuesday given the unprecedented heatwave forecast,” said Sam MacDougall, director of operations for Network Rail. “The predicted temperatures are much higher than what our infrastructure is designed for and safety must come first.” Train speeds were also reduced on Monday, a move that would limit the number of trains and significantly extend journey times, Mr MacDougall said, urging passengers to “only travel if absolutely necessary”.
