Transport disruption continues as North East tries to cope with record breaking 36°c temperatures

The North East experienced another day of extremes today as temperatures reached record highs.

Following numerous grass fires and widespread cancellations on rail services in the region yesterday, more chaos was feared today as the Met Office warned of impending record temperatures.

The previous records for the region included 32.5C in Newcastle on August 3, 1990 while on the same day in Sunderland it hit 33C. In Durham the record was 32.9C on July 25, 2019. Those records were all broken with the mercury at Albemarle observatory, where the temperature for Newcastle is calculated by the Met Office, reaching 34C at approximately 12pm today before peaking at 36C at 3pm.

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As the day ensued, sun-worshipers made their way to the North East coast to catch some rays and enjoy the sea breeze while teachers and carers tried to keep everyone cool at schools and care homes alike.

Residents from Eothen Homes in Gosforth enjoyed a summer water party in the grounds of the care home and residents enjoy water games and refreshing cocktails and fruit kebabs.

Residents from Eothen Homes in Gosforth enjoy a summer water party in the grounds of the care home (Newcastle Chronicle)

And school children from SS Peter and Paul RC Primary in South Shields also enjoyed water games in the yard to keep cool on the hottest day of the year so far in the UK.

School children from SS Peter and Paul RC Primary in South Shields enjoy water games in the yard to keep cool on the hottest day of the year so far in the UK (Newcastle Chronicle)

As expected, there was more disruption on the Metro, however, as many major routes were suspended with customers urged to make other arrangements.

Nexus, the public body which owns and manages Metro, said that its services would remain significantly disrupted and that people should not travel unless it was absolutely necessary.

Metro services were suspended between Haymarket and Regent Centre and South Gosforth and Tynemouth due to overhead wires sagging in the heat in multiple locations.

Nexus Infrastructure Engineers were then deployed at South Gosforth on The Tyne and Wear Metro to fix the damage.

The closure of the line, allied to the planned line closure between St James and Tynemouth, meant that the Metro had no trains operating from Haymarket all the way around the north Tyne coastal loop to St James station in Newcastle city centre.

Nexus Infrastructure Engineers at South Gosforth on The Tyne and Wear Metro which is suspended between Haymarket and Regent Centre and Haymarket and St James via the coast in either direction due to the extreme hot weather (Craig Connor/ChronicleLive)

Metro Operations Director, John Alexander, said: “Customers should avoid travelling on Metro today. There remains major disruption on the network and it is better to avoid making a journey unless it is absolutely necessary. The safety of our network, customers and colleagues must be the priority.

“We still have suspended services between Haymarket Regent Centres and South Gosforth and Tynemouth after the heat caused overhead wires to sag. These all need to be repaired.

“If customers do need to travel then please ensure you allow plenty of time for your journey, and take water with you in order to stay hydrated. Keep the train windows open to allow a flow of air into the carriage. If you do feel unwell alight at the first available station and seek some shade, and, if needed, alert us using a station Help Point.”

The rail disruption wasn't limited to Metro services either with no service on CrossCountry trains between York and Newcastle, Grand Central Trains between Kings Cross and Sunderland and on London North Eastern Railway, Transpennine Express and CrossCountry between Newcastle and Darlington due to overhead line problems.

Packed Tynemouth longsands beach on the hottest day in the UK (Newcastle Chronicle)

If issues with commuting wasn't enough, any plans for evening BBQs will need to be curtailed as they have been banned in parks across Northumberland as temperatures hit record highs.

Temperatures north of 30 degrees in the county have meant an increased risk of wildfires, with the council announcing on social media that BBQs were banned for the foreseeable future. Residents and visitors were also told not to light campfires or use barbecues in the national park or the countryside.

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