英国伦敦及周边地区在极端高温期间连续发生两起列车脱轨事故。周四，一列从伦敦至Eastbourne的列车在南部Lewes地区脱轨，造成2人重伤和9人受伤[1]。随后周五，另一列南港至伦敦的列车在东部Wickford地区脱轨，62名乘客安全撤离，未造成人员伤亡[1]。两起事故均发生在英国遭遇极端高温的时期，其中周四伦敦气温达38度，周五降至34度[1]。
乘客对第一起事故的经历感到惊险。乘客Jon Young描述道："列车猛烈摇晃约10秒，好像要翻倒"[1]。对于事故原因，铁路官员和工程专家指向高温的影响。Southampton大学土壤工程教授William Powrie表示，"连续焊接铁轨在无法膨胀的高温下可能会屈曲"[1]。Network Rail集团安全与工程总监Martin Frobisher强调，"英国铁路网是世界上最安全的之一"[1]。两起事故均由铁路事故调查分支进行调查[1]。
Two trains operated by Greater Anglia derailed within 24 hours in the London area amid an intense heatwave, raising concerns about the impact of extreme temperatures on rail infrastructure [1]. The first incident occurred in Lewes, south of London, on Thursday, resulting in two people seriously injured and nine others hurt [1]. The second derailment happened the following day in Wickford, east of London, where 62 passengers were safely evacuated with no injuries reported [1].
The timing of both accidents coincided with dangerous heat conditions, with London experiencing 38 degrees Celsius on Thursday and 34 degrees on Friday [1]. According to passenger Jon Young, who was aboard the first train, the vehicle "swung wildly for about 10 seconds and felt like it was going to tip over" [1]. Both incidents are under investigation by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch [1].
Railway officials and experts have pointed to thermal expansion of the tracks as a potential cause. William Powrie, a soil engineering professor at Southampton University, explained that "continuously welded rails can buckle in high temperatures when they have no room to expand" [1]. Martin Frobisher, the safety and engineering director at Network Rail, stated that "the UK rail network is one of the safest in the world" [1].