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Glasgow Live
Glasgow Live
National
Sophie Buchan

Rail services to Glasgow scrapped due to 'extreme heat' as travellers stuck on trains

Avanti West Coast have scrapped all services - including those to Glasgow - and are asking people not to come to the station following a fire beside a line causing 25,000 volt overhead cables to fall in London.

The "extreme heat" is said to be causing "multiple incidents" across the network, forcing them to halt transport with people being urged to make their journeys after the heatwave has passed.

It comes as the UK has recorded highs of 40C with the Met Office confirming London Heathrow reported a temperature of 40.2C at 12:50pm today adding that it is a provisional record as temperatures continue to soar.

READ MORE: When the UK heatwave will stop as Met Office issue amber warning for Glasgow

In the tweet the operator wrote: "Extreme Heat: All services stopped. Do not come to the station. Due to the extreme heat causing multiple incidents across the network, all Avanti West Coast services have now been withdrawn for the rest of today - Tuesday 19 July."

Many people are now stuck on the Glasgow line and being forced to get off at a different stop entirely with one tweeting: "Stuck on Preston train to Glasgow, supposed to be on 11am train but being sent everywhere and anywhere. Now stuck on hot train for over an hour no water or food given or any information?!"

Another tweeted: "Glasgow bound train stuck between Penrith and Carlisle for an hour and a half."

A third said they were "supposed to be on the 11.10 train Manchester airport to Glasgow this morning (cancelled) sent to Preston waited over an hour for avanti train on the platform in the heat now on the hot train for over an hour stuck, no information."

Later Network Rail issued another warning echoing Avanti's advice not to travel on West Coast Main Line services out of London Euston this afternoon adding that the "line is currently blocked. There are no services and we cannot guarantee that services will resume today" followed by pictures of the rail on fire as well as a tree on the line."

Taking to their website Network Rail explained: "Passengers are being advised not to travel with all trains suspended between London Euston and Milton Keynes as Britain records its hottest day in history. The emergency services are dealing with a line side fire caused after 25,000 volt overhead electric cables which power trains came down in Harrow.

"All services to and from London Euston are suspended until further notice. In the meantime, all trains are terminating north of the affected area, at stations such as Milton Keynes and Rugby. London Northwestern Railway has suspended all of its services south of Northampton.

"Specialist Network Rail electrical engineers can assess damage caused to the cables and immediately start the repair once given the all clear by the fire service. Trees involved in the fire can also then be cleared from the tracks."

James Dean, Network Rail’s West Coast South route director, added: “As predicted the extreme temperatures have impacted the overhead cables on the West Coast main line and all trains have had to be stopped at Harrow in North London.

“Please follow our ‘do not travel’ message today as journeys are being severely impacted. Once the emergency services give us the go ahead we will work as fast as we can to restore the railway lines. We’re sorry to people impacted and we’re working as fast as we can to get things back up and running.”

Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway passengers with tickets dated Monday 18 or Tuesday 19 July who cannot travel are entitled to a full refund via their point of purchase. Alternatively, their tickets will be valid on Wednesday 20 or Thursday 21 July.

The operator has said that services will be disrupted tomorrow as a result of the ongoing issue as it urges people to check back in the morning for further updates.

You can follow our LIVE blog to stay up-to-date with all the latest heatwave and travel news across Glasgow HERE.

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