Great Western Railway and Network Rail are working together to ensure the vast majority of services operate today (Thursday 13 August), with temperatures anticipated to be higher in the amber warning area than during July’s heatwave.
Customers can travel as normal, although they are advised to check their specific journey before travel and to carry water.
Some reductions in service are, however, being made to help ensure that where trains do run, they can so efficiently and reliably.
Those travelling in or through the Thames Valley should plan for changes during the hottest parts of the day. Calling patterns of some local stopping services between London and Reading will be changed to minimise the use of points, which move trains between tracks, to reduce the risk of points failure.
This mainly affects all-stations services that normally use the slower relief lines, with changes to trains serving Slough, Maidenhead and Twyford. Direct trains to Oxford will also be reduced.
Those travelling elsewhere on the network should also expect some disruption to services, including short-notice delays or cancellations:
In Cornwall services between Truro and Falmouth will be reduced to hourly (from half-hourly).
In Devon, the Okehampton branch line will be replaced by bus services. Services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple continue to operate.
Hourly services between Cardiff (via Salisbury) and Portsmouth will operate as usual, however the extra service an hour between Bristol and Salisbury will not run – customers will also be able to use their train ticket/s on local bus services.
The shuttle service between Bristol Temple Meads and Filton Abbey Wood has also been removed – customers will also be able to use their train ticket/s on local bus services.
Due to the short-notice changes, industry information systems will not show the correct train timetable until the day of travel.
What customers should do:
- Check before you travel: Where possible, plan ahead and check journey times closer to the time of travel, particularly for the hottest part of the day.
- Allow extra time: Some affected journeys in London and the Thames Valley may take longer than usual, so build this into your plans, especially if you have a connection to make or need to be somewhere by a specific time.
- Bring water: Carry water with you, particularly if you expect to be travelling during the hottest periods or waiting on platforms.
- If you feel unwell, don’t board: If you are waiting for a train and feel unwell due to the heat, please speak to a member of staff, who will be able to help.
GWR Operations Director Richard Rowland, said: “We want to keep our customers safe during the extreme heat, which is why we are taking the precautionary step of amending a small number of services at the hottest times of day. We know this could be disruptive to a few people and we’re sorry for the inconvenience it will cause, but customer safety must come first.
“We’d encourage everyone planning to travel to check their journey beforehand.”
Image credit: Great Western Railway