How severe weather can affect our trains

How can severe weather affect the railway?

Wind, rain and storms

Strong winds, heavy rain and storms can cause flooding, fallen trees, stray debris on the track and even landslides.

These conditions may mean trains run at lower speeds or services are adjusted for safety. In extreme cases, they could lead to cancelled trains. Learn more about what stormy weather does to the railway.

Ice and snow

When temperatures drop, even a light rain or a dusting of snow can freeze onto our tracks. Ice or compacted snow can create a barrier on the electric rail, slowing trains down. In extreme cases, this can halt trains. 

Ice can affect track points (the mechanisms allowing trains to change tracks) by causing them to freeze or become jammed. It can also affect the couplings between carriages, limiting the flexibility and the number of available trains.

Snow and wind can also pile up as drifts, presenting additional risks and requiring extra caution from our drivers and infrastructure teams. Find out more about wintry weather and the railway.

Hot weather

Rails can expand in high temperatures, and overhead lines can sag. This may mean trains need to run slower to allow us to do extra safety checks, which can lead to delays.

How we prepare for, and respond to, severe weather

Revised timetables and safety checks

Whilst we always work hard to keep you moving, during hazardous weather we may need to run fewer trains, temporarily close stations, or, in rare cases, suspend trains altogether if conditions make travel unsafe.

Anti-icing and snow clearance

During winter, specially equipped trains known as “snow-and-ice busters” apply anti-icing fluid to the tracks to clear snow and ice, just like spreading salt on the roads.

Heated track points

Key sections of our network feature insulated and heated track points to prevent ice buildup and help keep trains moving.

How we prepare for winter weather in our stations 

Throughout the winter season, we work proactively to keep our stations safe and accessible during cold and severe weather.

Since October 2025, our teams have already completed just under 15,000 gritting visits and nearly 800 snow clearance visits (as of January 29 2026).

During winter 2024/25, we completed nearly 30,000 gritting visits and over 2,000 snow clearance visits across our stations.

Station Gritting

From October to April, station gritting is planned and delivered using Met Office forecasting and real-time weather intelligence. When forecasts indicate a risk of ice and road surface temperatures are expected to fall below 0.5°C, our winter maintenance teams grit stations before 06:00 wherever possible.

This approach helps reduce the risk of slips and falls and ensures you can move safely through stations, platforms, car parks and access routes when boarding or leaving trains.

Platforms and pedestrian areas are treated using Procoat salt, a pre-treated product that is fast-acting, highly effective at lower temperatures and helps reduce scatter on walking surfaces. Whereas car parks and access roads are treated using white marine salt, a cleaner and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional brown rock salt.

Snow Clearance Operations

We use Met Office snowfall forecasts, live weather monitoring and on-the-ground conditions to decide when to move from preventative gritting to active snow clearance.

We will:

• Clear snow from platforms, steps, ramps and pedestrian routes
• Treat priority access points, station entrances and car parks
• Maintain safe emergency and operational access

During severe winter weather, stations may be visited multiple times a day, with teams working extended hours to keep stations safe and running.

We know you have places to go, and we work hard to get you there. Although extreme weather presents challenges, we are constantly working with Network Rail to restore services and keep you moving safely.

Thank you for your understanding and for travelling safely with us.