How severe weather can affect our trains

Buckling rails

Rails in direct sunlight can be up to 20°C hotter than the air temperature. This can cause them to expand and start to curve - known as 'buckling'. Most of the UK rail network can operate when track temperatures reach up to 46°C, which is roughly equivalent to an air temperature of 30°C. 

If monitoring systems detect that a section of track is expanding too much, trains may need to run slower to reduce the chance of buckling, which can lead to delays. If a rail does buckle, the line has to be closed to allow the track to be repaired before trains can run again.

Overhead lines

Also, in hot weather, the overhead lines which provide power to trains can expand and sag. 

Trains will need to slow down to avoid damaging the lines, and some trains may have to be cancelled or diverted until the lines can be repaired.

Drought

Long periods without rain can mean the ground underneath the tracks dries out and shrinks, creating pothole-like cracks. 

Similar to vehicles on the roads, trains can’t run at full speed over these cracks and have to slow down to keep you safe.

Overhead line adjustments 

Network Rail adjusts the height and tension of overhead power lines in summer to help prevent sagging, and is also replacing old overhead lines with modern, more resilient, auto-tension power lines. 

During hot weather, we may run trains at reduced speed to minimise the force on the power lines and reduce the risk of damage. Unfortunately, this can cause delays.

Overheated rail preparation

Ahead of summer, tracks are checked for any rails which are vulnerable to heat, which are then fixed. 'Hot spot' sections of track are also painted white to reduce the heat they absorb by up to 10 degrees.

Gaps are sometimes left between shorter sections of track so there is space for them to expand, and laying track on reinforced concrete slabs rather than sleepers and stones on critical sections of the railway can help prevent buckling as concrete can withstand greater force.

Sensors across the railway provide real-time information to let us know if any track is getting too hot, which helps us make sure potential faults are fixed before they occur.

If the forecast air temperature is over 36°C, speed restrictions are put in place to reduce the risk of tracks buckling, which unfortunately can cause delays.

Track inspection

We work with other train operators and Network Rail to continually monitor the tracks and identify the need for maintenance caused by drought.

If the soil has significantly cracked, engineers will add more stone to support the tracks, and machines will realign the rails. 

Train cleaning and engineering

In hot weather, we increase the cleaning of our trains. 

Our engineers also deep-clean our train radiators, which improves the performance and reliability of the air conditioning to keep carriages cool, and we're working to introduce robotic radiator cleaning to increase the amount of trains we can clean each night.

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.

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.

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.