Europe

How Britain’s railways are struggling in theheat – and can they be fixed?

Problems including derailments have hit network during one of the hottest and driest summers on record

This story summarizes reporting from The Guardian. Read the original for full context. Wire items stay in our news sitemap for seven days. Editorial policy.

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Natalie Wint and Alex Daniel28 Aug 2026, 07:00 amUpdated 1d ago1 min readEuropeUnited Kingdom

United Kingdom — Natalie Wint and Alex Daniel

How Britain’s railways are struggling in the heat – and can they be fixed?

Problems including derailments have hit network during one of the hottest and driest summers on record

Britain’s railways have faced a string of heat-related problems this summer, including a derailment near Lewes in East Sussex two weeks ago that injured 30 people, and another the next day when the rear carriages of a Greater Anglia train derailed “in an upright position” at Wickford railway station in Essex , with no reported injuries.

The problems came during one of the hottest and driest summers on record, with a series of heatwaves, and drought declared across large parts of England and Wales. Britain’s railways, built for a cooler, wetter climate, have been put under pressure. Network Rail said the summer had “presented exceptional challenges to the railway”.

Britain’s railways have faced a string of heat-related problems this summer, including a derailment near Lewes in East Sussex two weeks ago that injured 30 people, and another the next day when the rear carriages of a Greater Anglia train derailed “in an upright position” at Wickford railway station in Essex , with no reported injuries.

This report is published with credit to The Guardian. The wire sent a summary; open the original for any extra context. Read on The Guardian →

Source: The Guardian · Natalie Wint and Alex Daniel. Published 28 Aug 2026, 07:00 am.

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