Why your morning commute takes longer in hot weather
A few UK train companies warned their customers to wait for delays on their journey due to weather conditions – but not the kind you expect.
Rather than storms that often cause deterioration in our railways, they are hot and dry weather that causes problems.
Train operators are trying to deal with the dried and shrinking clay soil where railway rails are seated, as they live one of the hottest summers of England.
This causes clay irregular runways, which requires train operators to slow down trains for security reasons.
Since speed restrictions may mean delays and even cancellations due to timeline changes, passengers are asked to control their journey.
Here are some information about changes and why they are necessary.
Which train operators are affected?
The C2C is the latest operator who has to change the timeline on Monday in response to the runway conditions, which he says he has been influenced by the most dry spring for more than 50 years.
On Monday, he was invited to check their journey to customers in advance.
Network Rail Anglia Infrastructure Director Simon Milburn said: iz We are really sorry for passengers to deteriorate from the timeline changes, but we need to move everyone safely.
“Our teams work together to continue to carry out the best possible service for passengers even with the important difficulties we encounter with clay soil after long -term dry spells.”
The South West railway has also been affected and announced that he has seen the most dry conditions for about 200 years.
Clay sets that support the trails are dried in the long period of the route between Gillingham and Axminster.
Why is this happening?
Train operators, extremely dry spring and summer networks triggering problems, he said.
According to the temporary Met office figures, England’s fifth highest July registered. This has followed the most dry spring of England since the records began in 1836.
The C2C, which works between London and South Essex, said that the clay soil under the lines shrinks and causes the runway to fall into places and become irregular.
South Western Railway said he could not travel safely at normal speeds of trains because his runway levels are broken.
Last year, the network rail left 12,600 tons of ballast along the route to minimize the effects of clay shrinkage, but this year a very dry spring was not possible to eliminate track problems.
This summer, he said that a dirt moisture deficit should rain for three months to avoid affecting the services this summer.
Network Rail said that although this is throughout the UK, there are different types of soil throughout the country, that is, a special problem with soil moisture in Southern England where there is too much clay on the ground.
How will the journeys be affected?
C2C advised customers to check their travel planners before traveling as they work at slower speeds with trains that last longer than usual.
He said that this may mean that the trains work at slightly different times and that a small number of services will be changed to start or terminate every day.
The changes are expected to be in force between two to three months.
South Western Railway, Gillingham and Axminster due to speed restrictions, London Waterloo and Exeter St Davids for the services between the modified time schedule, he said.
This means that the train works every two hours rather than normal.
He said that the train services between London Waterloo and Yeovil Junction took about 25 minutes longer than normal between Tisbury and Yeovil Junction.
He said the timeline changes would be in force until the next announcement.
