People going home on trains - they are slow due to the heat

[simondjuk 10]

Just heard on the news that a lot of railway lines have restricted speeds today due to the heat so it might take longer to get home.

 

Dont you just love the UK transport network.

[BasilRathbon 10]

Yes you're right - it's the rail companies who are clearly to blame for the heat, which is buckling the rails in certain areas and hence causing speed restrictions to ensure passenger safety.

 

If you don't know what you're talking about, why post snide little remarks like "Dont you just love the UK transport network."?

[Pritt Stick 10]

Welcome Simon - I think your honeymoon period is over.

[cgksheff 44]

But most of all, the increasing vulnerability of our railways to summer speed restrictions is more to do with the poor quality of the track.

 

Railtrack built up a backlog of 4000 miles of railway lines which should have been replaced but were not.

 

In particular the gravel used to pack down the rails and sleepers has worn away. This ballast, as its called, stops the track moving from side to side, which often happens when it buckles.

 

That is why British railway passengers have to put up with delays when in the stifling heat of the south of France, the high speed trains are unaffected.

 

Track abroad is often just a few decades old and well maintained. Some can even be set up for higher temperatures, then reset once it gets cooler.

 

Only one line in Britain is of a similar standard - the new high-speed line to the Channel Tunnel, built to French standards - but it will not open until September.

 

BBC

[poucinet 10]

It's probably the wrong kind of heat:P

[Andy C 85]

Despite the popular myth bandied about by the British media, European railways do have the same problems when faced by extreme weather.

 

Railway tracks are made of steel, which naturally expands and contracts when heated or chilled.

 

On main lines where the track is continuously welded to allow higher speeds this means there is potential for the track to buckle in hot weather.

 

The steel is pre-stressed with heat treatment to allow for normal British weather ranges, however it is currently much hotter than you would normally expect in Britain, therefore extra precautions (temporary speed restrictions) have to be taken to ensure the railway runs safely.

 

It is not reasonable to say the tracks should be pre-stressed to allow for higher temperatures - if this was done then come winter the metal would become brittle and shatter if the temperature fell as low as freezing.

 

At least unlike some roads the railways aren't melting, and all long distance trains are air conditioned (although granted local trains aren't).

[heeleygirl 10]

Nice to hear the voice of reason Andy C, you should be a spokesman for the government.

[richpc 10]

I'm not sure why the original post is being like this as most of trains running in south yorkshire don't go over 75mph (which is still faster than your legally allowed to drive on the uk roads) so a 60mph speed restriction won't cause that many delays.

 

Network rail Line staff do a brilliant job and shouldn't be blamed for bad decisions by the government

 

He is probably a BMW driver

[simondjuk 10]

im just adding what ive heard on the news, thats all. And no I dont drive a BMW

 

[Andy C 85]

Local trains shouldn't be affected too badly, London trains may be up to 20 minutes late, and other long distance trains such as Virgin's Cross Country service and Central Train's Liverpool-Norwich service are likely to experience delays too.

 

Real time information is available on the National Rail Enquiries website - http://www.nationalrail.co.uk

[elenac 10]

Rail temps in the Sheffield area yeasterday reached over 150 degrees in certain areas. We do run faster than 75mph in South Yorks, 90mph south of Sheffield and between Moorthorpe and Swinton. We don't do that badly in this area to be fair.

[reditiger 10]

great! northern reduced the number of carriages on my train last night and this morning, thought i was going to faint from the heat as people were crammed all over the place