So the complaints start. "Why are the railways incapable of dealing with any changes in weather?

It never happened in the old days/on the Continent etc (take your pick)." Let's get things into perspective.

Steel expands when hot and contracts when cold. Go beyond the normal parameters and it will either buckle (hot) or crack (cold).

It is not possible to cater for both ends of the scale. Similar problems have occurred on the Continent and high temperatures have always caused problems in this country - occasionally resulting in serious incidents.

Would you rather the railway companies took precautions or wait for a crash and then set the hounds on the them?

-Alastair Brand, Seaford