Haymarket trains: ScotRail services 'beginning to return to normal' after points failure at Edinburgh potentially caused by hot weather

A points failure at a train junction at Haymarket affecting multiple services from Glasgow and to Fife has been fixed with suspicions that the issue was as a result of the hot weather.
It is suspected that a points failure at Haymarket West Junction on Thursday which led to the cancellation of train services was caused by the hot weather in Edinburgh.It is suspected that a points failure at Haymarket West Junction on Thursday which led to the cancellation of train services was caused by the hot weather in Edinburgh.
It is suspected that a points failure at Haymarket West Junction on Thursday which led to the cancellation of train services was caused by the hot weather in Edinburgh.

Network Rail sent engineers to the scene after reports of a points failure at Haymarket West Junction on Thursday afternoon.

The failure affected services that are travelling from Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh and Edinburgh to Fife.

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The disruption meant that ScotRail was unable to run services for these routes.

Replacement bus services were in place.

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However, Network Rail Scotland has said that engineers were able to fix the problem and services are returning to normal.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “A points failure at Haymarket West Junction earlier today is affecting services travelling from Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street, Dunblane and Fife. Our engineers have been on site since 13:05, have fixed the fault and services are beginning to return to normal. Please check with ScotRail for latest service information”.

A Network Rail spokesperson said: “We've received reports of a points failure at Haymarket West Junction, which is affecting services that are travelling from Glasgow Queen Street to Edinburgh and from Edinburgh to Fife.”

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It is believed that the points mechanical failure was caused by heat on the tracks due to the hot weather.

In a Tweet on Thursday, Network Rail Scotland warned of the issues that can arise on the tracks as a result of the increase in temperature.

Network Rail Scotland tweeted: “On the rare days that Scotland gets really sunny weather, the temperature of our tracks can increase massively.

"The metal rails expand and put them at risk of damage, so we may need to slow down trains in order to reduce the risk of this.”

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A maximum temperature of 23C in Edinburgh has been recorded on Thursday with the sunny weather expected to last through to the weekend.

A Met Office spokesperson said it is going to be ‘very warm’ in the Capital throughout the week and into the weekend with a maximum temperature of 25C on Friday.

There will be more cloud and it will be less warm in the east on Monday but it will slowly brighten with best sunshine in the southwest, according to the Met Office.

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