Train passengers travelling between Nottingham and London St Pancras have been warned of cancellations and delays today Thursday 9 July after East Midlands Railway said more trains than usual require repairs during the hot weather.
The operator said cancellations are affecting services on its London St Pancras, Nottingham and Sheffield route, as well as the London St Pancras, Luton Airport Parkway and Corby route.
EMR said its maintenance teams were continuing to work to repair trains so they can return to normal service as soon as possible.
Some trains in and out of London St Pancras have been cancelled because more trains than usual require maintenance. EMR said it expects the advertised timetable to resume on the affected routes by tomorrow morning.
Passengers are being advised to continue travelling as originally planned, but journeys may be delayed by up to 60 minutes. The operator said trains are likely to experience extended delays or alterations.
Tickets are being accepted on alternative routes at no extra cost.
Passengers travelling from Nottingham to London may travel to Grantham with EMR before changing for a train to London King’s Cross. EMR said this journey is likely to take between two and two-and-a-half hours. LNER, which runs services between Grantham and London King’s Cross, recommends booking a seat reservation, which can be done up to five minutes before departure.
Passengers travelling from Sheffield may travel to Doncaster with CrossCountry, TransPennine Express or Northern, before changing for a service to London King’s Cross. This is also expected to take between two and two-and-a-half hours.
For passengers travelling from Derby or Chesterfield, EMR said they may travel to Birmingham New Street with CrossCountry before changing for a train to London Euston with London Northwestern Railway or Avanti West Coast. This route is expected to take between two-and-a-half and three hours.
Passengers travelling from Leicester may travel to Nuneaton with CrossCountry before changing for a London Euston service with Avanti West Coast or London Northwestern Railway. EMR said this journey is likely to take around two hours.
The disruption comes as the rail network continues to face pressures during periods of hot weather. High temperatures can affect railway infrastructure and train fleets, with Network Rail warning that heat can cause rails to expand and overhead lines to sag, while train operators may also face additional maintenance demands.
EMR apologised for the disruption and advised passengers to check before travelling.
