DOZENS of rush-hour trains have been cancelled or amended because the weather is too hot to run services at full speed.

Heat-related speed restrictions are in place on the Greater Anglia line until 8pm, affecting all branches of the network.

Temperatures are expected to hit 31C in some parts of Essex on the hottest day of the year so far.

In addition to the speed restrictions, overhead line damage between Billericay and Wickford has closed the entire section of track between the two stations, with cancellations and delays of up to 90 minutes anticipated.

The overhead damage is expected to cause disruption on the Southend Victoria branch line until at least 8.30pm.

As of 3pm, the following train services had been cancelled:

  • 1617 Liverpool Street to Witham 
  • 1818 Liverpool Street to Ipswich 
  • 1952 Ipswich to Liverpool Street 
  • 1624 Liverpool Street to Southend Vic 
  • 1735 Southend Vic to Liverpool Street  
  • 1845 Liverpool Street to Southend Vic 
  • 1712 Liverpool Street to Witham 
  • 1816 Witham to Liverpool Street 
  • 1918 Liverpool Street to Clacton will start from Colchester (2017)
  • 1552 Ipswich to Liverpool Street
  • 1732 Liverpool Street to Clacton will start from Colchester (1830)
  • 1630 Southend Vic to Liverpool Street 
  • 1745 Liverpool Street to Southend Vic 
  • 1558 Ingatestone to Colchester 
  • 1653 Colchester to Liverpool Street 
  • 1805 Liverpool Street to Southend Vic 

Due to the cancellations, some services will make additional stops:

  • 15:38 Liv St to Col Town stop additionally at Ingatestone (16:07) and Hatfield Peverel (16:18) 
  • 16:32 Liv St to Ipswich stop additionally at Ingatestone (16:59)
  • 17:09 Liv St to Clacton stop additionally at ingatestone (17:36)
  • 17:20 Liv St to Braintree stop additionally at Hatfield Peverel (18:03)
  • 17:38 Liv St to Ipswich stop additionally at Hatfield Peverel (18:18) and Marks Tey (18:30)
  • 18:48 Liv St to Clacton stop additionally at Marks Tey (19:37)
  • 19:32 Liv St to Har Int stop additionally at Ingatestone (19:59)
  • 18:12 Colchester to Liv St stop additionally at Ingatestone (18:46)
  • 20:05 Clacton to Liv St stop additionally at Marks Tey (20:38), Kelvedon (20:43) and Hatfield Peverel (20:50)

Specific train service alterations are available by visiting journeycheck.com/greateranglia/

Advance purchase ticket holders will be allowed to travel on earlier or later trains if their booked service is cancelled.

If your journey has been delayed by 30 minutes or more, you may be entitled to compensation for a portion of your fare. Visit the Greater Anglia website for details.

Speed restrictions are introduced in hot weather due to the risk of rails buckling.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "On warm days, rails in direct sunshine can be as much as 20 degrees centigrade above air temperature. As rails are made out of steel, they expand as they heat up and are subject to strong compression. This expansion has to be managed to reduce the risk of track buckling.

"If the track does buckle, the line must be closed and the track repaired before services can resume, causing considerable disruption. Usually, these repairs can't be done until the temperature of the rails has dropped.

"If a section of track is judged to be at risk, we introduce local speed restrictions - slower trains exert lower forces on the track and reduce the chance of buckling."