Chiltern Railways cuts London Marylebone services due to 38C heat
Off-peak trains to Birmingham and Oxford reduced or cancelled between 11am and 8pm on Thursday
News London evidence indexOpen analysis ▾
Named source and specific details
Higher is stronger
Clear explanation and quotes
Higher is stronger
Mild emphasis in headline
Lower is better
Chiltern Railways will run fewer trains from London Marylebone on Thursday as temperatures are forecast to reach 38C. The operator announced a reduced timetable between 11am and 8pm, affecting services to Birmingham and Oxford. Off-peak trains to Birmingham Moor Street will run once an hour, down from the usual half-hourly service.
Some services between London Marylebone and Oxford will be cancelled entirely. Chiltern Railways will also suspend all services from Birmingham Snow Hill from 10:15am until the end of the day. The changes follow warnings that extreme heat can cause rails to buckle, overhead wires to sag, and lineside fires to break out.
Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle costs £5,400 daily for 51 riders
TfL runs the service until 2028 under Department for Transport rules, despite low usage and calls to scrap it
Network-wide disruption
The heat is expected to disrupt rail services across the UK. East Midlands Railway (EMR) and Northern have both advised passengers to travel only if essential. EMR will suspend services between Nottingham and Worksop, and on the Nottingham to Leicester regional route, after midday. Trains on the Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich route will run only between Sheffield and Norwich.
Northern will run fewer trains than usual in the North West and Yorkshire. The operator said high temperatures increase the risk of technical failures, requiring adjustments to maintain reliability. Steel rails can reach more than 50C when air temperatures are just 30C, according to Network Rail.
Bank holiday rail disruption hits Barnet as digital signalling work begins
Engineering work south of Peterborough will close key routes into London from 29 to 31 August
We are asking customers to travel only if essential on Thursday because of the exceptionally high temperatures forecast across our network. By operating a reduced timetable during the hottest part of the day, we can provide a more reliable and comfortable service for customers.
Michael Stewart, commercial and customer strategy director at Chiltern Railways
What passengers should do
Chiltern Railways has eased some ticket restrictions to allow passengers to delay or change their journeys. Travellers are advised to check for updates before leaving home and to carry water. Other operators have also warned of possible last-minute cancellations.
The disruption is expected to last only for Thursday, but passengers should confirm their plans before travelling. No alternative arrangements, such as replacement buses, have been announced for cancelled services.
Questions this report answers
+How will Chiltern Railways services be affected on Thursday?
Chiltern Railways will run a reduced timetable between 11am and 8pm. Off-peak trains to Birmingham Moor Street will run hourly instead of every 30 minutes, and some Oxford services will be cancelled. All services from Birmingham Snow Hill will be suspended from 10:15am.
+Why are train services being cut?
Extreme heat forecast to reach 38C can cause steel rails to exceed 50C, leading to buckling, sagging overhead wires, and lineside fires. Operators are reducing services to maintain safety and reliability during the hottest part of the day.
+What should passengers do if they need to travel?
Passengers are advised to check for updates before travelling, carry water, and consider delaying their journey if possible. Some ticket restrictions have been eased to allow changes. No replacement buses have been announced for cancelled services.
+Which other rail operators are affected?
East Midlands Railway and Northern have also advised passengers to travel only if essential. EMR will suspend some routes after midday, while Northern will run fewer trains in the North West and Yorkshire due to the heat.
News London Desk
This article was written at the News London news desk from the reporting of the outlets listed below it. Drafting is done by a language model under human editorial supervision — there is no reporter behind this byline, and we would rather say so than invent one.
How stories are produced and scoredWho runs News LondonCorrections
The London Ledger
A considered capital-wide edit delivered each morning.
More Coverage in Transport & TfL
Silvertown Tunnel cycle shuttle costs £5,400 daily for 51 riders
Bank holiday rail disruption hits Barnet as digital signalling work begins
93 passengers fell between train and platform on Thameslink routes this year
