Transport · 10 July 2026
The real reason trains crawl in a heatwave
Steel rails in direct sun run far hotter than the air, and hot steel can bend, so operators slow trains to stop tracks buckling. With the Met Office expecting up to 36C on Friday, London commuters are being warned of possible disruption, echoing June's 'do not travel' alerts. Slower trains put less force through expanding rails, so heat timetables mean delays rather than danger.
Reported by Time Out · How we write briefs