We are advising customers to check before they travel on Wednesday, 12 and Thursday, 13 August, as extreme heat is affecting train services, with an amber weather warning for extreme heat in place on Thursday.
On Thursday, 13 August, we will be running fewer trains on some routes in Greater Manchester, the North West and Yorkshire due to extreme heat. Journeys may take longer than usual, and unfortunately, we may need to cancel some services
High temperatures increase the risk of issues on the railway and with the reliability of our trains, which means we have to make adjustments to our usual timetable to keep trains running.
To help keep customers on the move as much as possible, we are temporarily running a reduced timetable so we can ensure the trains we do run provide a more reliable service during the hottest part of the weather.
If you’re planning to travel on Thursday, 13 August, please check your journey before you set off and allow extra time, as some services may need to be altered or changed at short notice.
We know how frustrating it can be when extreme weather makes travelling more difficult, and we will do everything we can to help.
We will continue to monitor conditions closely and may make further changes to keep customers on the move as much as possible.
The list of routes which will run fewer trains than usual is below – make sure you check before heading for your train.
If you need any help, look out for colleagues at stations or conductors on our trains, who are ready to assist.
We recognise many customers are travelling for work, education and important personal commitments. We’ll continue to provide the latest information to help you plan your journey.
Service updates
Live train times, planned disruption and events, all in one place.
Click here for live travel informationRoutes with fewer services
If you’re travelling on the following routes, please check to see if your journey is affected.
- Rochdale to Blackburn: There will be fewer trains.
- Southport to Wigan/ Manchester Oxford Road: There will be fewer trains.
- Alderley Edge to Manchester Piccadilly: There will be fewer trains.
- Hazel Grove/ Buxton to Manchester Piccadilly: There will be fewer trains.
- Rose Hill and Hadfield to Manchester Piccadilly: There will be fewer trains.
- Leeds to Rochdale: There will be fewer trains between 10:12 and 16:34.
- Leeds to York via Harrogate: There will be fewer trains between 10:45 and 15:45.
- Leeds to Sheffield: There will be no Yorkshire Flyer fast service between 09:52 and 15:45, our stopping service will still run.
- Scarborough to Sheffield via Hull: A full timetable will operate between Scarborough and Hull, but there will be reduced services between Hull and Doncaster / Sheffield.
In addition, there are no trains between Rochdale and Manchester Victoria due to planned engineering improvement work. Find out more about this work, including alternative transport arrangements, here.
Journey planners have been updated to reflect these changes and show the latest timetable.
Ticket Acceptance and Ticket Easements
From Wednesday, 12 August to Friday, 14 August, ticket acceptance is in place between Northern and TransPennine Express. Customers with a ticket for a cancelled Northern service can travel on an alternative TransPennine Express service. Likewise, TransPennine Express customers can use Northern services.
If you can't travel on the train you planned to travel on, due to a cancellation, you can also use an East Midlands Railway, West Midlands Trains, London Northwestern or LNER service to get to your destination within two hours either side of the time of your cancelled service.
On Thursday, 13 August, Northern customers can use their tickets on CrossCountry services between Leeds and Sheffield and between Doncaster and York if their planned train is affected by these service changes.
If you have a ticket booked for travel on a Northern train on the affected routes on Thursday, 13 August, but are unable to travel due to the impact of the extreme weather, you can instead use your ticket on Friday, 14 and Saturday, 15 August.
Customer advice
- Journey planners may take time to reflect short notice changes. Please continue checking before you travel, including immediately before leaving for the station.
- Allow extra time for your journey
- Travel earlier, where possible, to avoid the busiest services
- Bring water to stay hydrated
- If you feel unwell, please do not board the train and speak to a member of station staff, the conductor when the next train stops, or use a help point
- If you start to feel ill on board, avoid using the emergency alarm between stations – it’s better to wait until the train is at a platform where help can reach you more quickly and safely.
Travelling in hot weather
Tips to stay safe when traveling during hot weather
How heat affects the railway
Severe weather can affect how we run our trains
Delay Repay
If your train is delayed by 15 minutes or more, you can claim money.
Changes on other train operators
Other train operators across the UK are making changes to their planned services - visit National Rail for the latest information.
The following operators have issued advice to customers about planned alterations and ticket easements:
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.
Northern App
Streamline your journey and get tickets straight to your phone. Making your journey contact-free.