London Waterloo train delays after 'smoke on tracks' as warning issued to passengers
South Western Railway has said some of its London Waterloo services are being forced to run slower than usual while a safety inspection took place
Passengers are facing major disruption at one of the UK’s busiest railway stations with reports of smoke on the tracks amid record weather temperatures.
South Western Railway (SWR) said some of its London Waterloo services were being forced to run slower than usual while a safety inspection took place.
It told passengers that “smoke was reported on the track” between the station and Vauxhall.
Passengers were warned of delays on services to and from London Waterloo and Guildford, Woking, Chessington South, Dorking, Hampton Court, Shepperton and Strawberry Hill.
SWR did not say whether the incident was related to the current hot weather.
Temperatures did not fall below 21.3C on Monday at Kenley Airfield, south London, after the UK recorded its hottest May day since Met Office data began, the forecaster said.
The country also recorded its provisional all-time hottest meteorological spring temperature when Kew Gardens in south-west London hit 34.8C on Monday.
The Met Office listed 12 locations where the record was topped on Monday – ranging from Suffolk to Berkshire to Warwickshire – while 97 of its monitoring sites reached or surpassed 30C.
All lines have reopened between Waterloo and Vauxhall but disruption is expected until 11am.
"Following a safety inspection of the track between London Waterloo and Vauxhall all lines have now reopened," stated SWR. "Train services running to and from these stations may be delayed or revised. Disruption is expected until 11:00 26/05."
On the impact for suburban services, SWR said: "Trains to and from London Waterloo and Guildford, Woking, Chessington South, Dorking, Hampton Court, Shepperton and Strawberry Hill may still experience some delays while the service settles back into its normal pattern."
And for passengers the operator advises people to allow extra time while services get back to normal. It states: "Please continue to check live journey planners for the latest information, as some services may still be recovering. If you are travelling to and from London Waterloo, allow a little extra time while trains are returning to their planned timetable.
"If you need any help with your journey, please speak to a member of staff or use a station help point. We are very sorry for any disruption to your journey."