Meltdown Britain: Passengers stranded for almost 2 hours on 'oven' train with no A/C in 37C heat
Desperate passengers on a train in London tried to force open doors after they were left stranded for hours in the heat
Desperate passengers were left stranded on a London train for hours in soaring temperatures with no air conditioning, as the country faces a rare red weather warning for heat.
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Passengers on a Great Northern service from Moorgate to Stevenage were trapped for two hours in 'oven' like carriages on Tuesday afternoon.
Many train services have been cancelled today ahead of extreme heat, with passengers urged to avoid non-essential travel in areas covered by the Met Office’s red warning.
Network Rail warned there would be “significant disruption” across England and Wales as it imposes speed restrictions to minimise the risk from heat-related issues such as buckled rails and sagging overhead electric wires.
Read more: Do schools close in hot weather? What 38C forecasts mean for pupils
Read more: Rare red 'danger to life' weather warning for extreme heat issued as temperatures set to hit 40C
Passengers on board the trapped train said that the air conditioning system stopped working shortly after the breakdown, leading to several travellers attempting to pry open the doors to the train in a desperate bid to get fresh air into the carriage.
Staff closed the doors again following instructions from railway control, and the driver reportedly requested permission to open them safely but was refused.
Conditions were sweltering and several elderly passengers, as well as a pregnant woman, struggled with the heat.
Others reported feeling dizzy, faint, and distressed as the situation continued.
One passenger, Chris Arnold, who lives in Hornsey, described the situation as "a complete failure of contingency planning".
"With climate change bringing more frequent periods of extreme heat, train operators should have robust plans for dealing with breakdowns in high temperatures," he said.
"It felt like procedures were taking precedence over people's wellbeing."
Another passenger, Rick, said: "This train company does not care about its customers."
Passengers threatened to make their own way down onto the tracks, but Great Northern advised that a rescue train was being dispatched.
However, an attempt to move the train failed when the crew was unable to connect the rescue train.
Eventually, passengers were escorted on foot to the nearby Drayton Park station.
Mr Arnold added: "At no point did we feel that Great Northern was putting the health and safety of passengers first. Instead, it felt as though they were hiding behind bureaucracy while hundreds of people sat in increasingly dangerous conditions.
"We need answers as to why there appeared to be no effective contingency plan and why it took nearly two hours to evacuate passengers from a train stranded in extreme heat.”
A spokesperson for Great Northern told LBC: “We are extremely sorry for the difficult and very uncomfortable conditions passengers faced when one of our services broke down yesterday.
"This happened where power switches from the third rail of the Northern City Line to the overhead lines.
"The safety of our passengers is our topmost priority which is why considerable efforts were made first to engage power and restart the train because the safest place for passengers is to remain on the train. When this was not possible, railway staff evacuated people along the track to Drayton Park station.”
Today's red warning for extreme heat covers an area stretching from London to Swansea and from Somerset to Birmingham, from 9am on Wednesday until 9pm on Thursday.
A combination of extreme heat and humidity could impact public health, infrastructure, power and water supplies, the Met Office said, and cause heat-related issues for a range of sectors such as transport, energy and water supply.
There could also be an increase in water safety incidents during the heatwave, the agency said, as more people are likely to visit coastal areas, lakes or rivers.
The agency’s spokesman Grahame Madge said: “The Met Office is flagging 39C as a headline maximum temperature on Thursday, most likely for somewhere in London or the South East.
“It is possible we could see temperatures higher than the 39C if the final values are at the upper end of our narrow range.
“It is important to remember that the temperature value is only one element of this extreme heatwave story.
“The other major factor is the high humidity, which for many will make the intense heat even harder to endure.”
On Tuesday the highest temperature logged was 34.6C in Wisley, Surrey, according to the Met Office.
Extreme temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday will cause problems for parents as schools shut early or close to protect pupils amid the heat.
Almost 100 schools in Somerset will be fully closed on Wednesday and Thursday, according to Somerset Council.
And around 100 schools will be at least partially closed over the next two days in Buckinghamshire, along with 86 schools in Gloucestershire, according to council data.
Children at some schools have been told they can wear PE kit rather than full school uniform, which can involve long trousers and blazers.
The London Fire Brigade (LFB) has advised people in the capital to keep safe in the heat over the next few days, and be careful with the risk of wildfires and water incidents.
The service urged people to avoid disposable barbecues in parks or open spaces as “they pose a significant fire risk as the heat can be retained for many hours”, and for those having barbecues at home to ensure they are kept “away from flammable materials like fences and sheds”.
NHS trusts across England, including Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Barts Health NHS Trust, have advised people attending appointments during the heatwave to make sure they bring water and check travel beforehand.
NHS advice for how to cope during a heatwave includes keeping out of the heat when possible and cooling down with cold food and drinks, and closing windows and blinds during the day to keep the heat out of living spaces.
The Cabinet Office held an official-level COBR meeting on Tuesday morning over the severe heatwave and will continue to closely monitor the situation, a Government spokesman said.
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan has triggered a “high” air pollution alert for the capital on Wednesday on advice from forecasters at Imperial College, the third one this year.
The extreme temperatures have also forced the Army to cancel ceremonial operations in London and Windsor, to protect the “wellbeing” of its soldiers.
In a post on X, the Army in London said: “Due to extreme heat this week, Ceremonial Operations in London & Windsor will be changed or cancelled. The wellbeing of our soldiers, horses and the public will always come first.”
Meanwhile, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said it had released extra water into the River Dee to help reduce the risk of fish deaths during the high temperatures.