Services between London Liverpool Street and Suffolk and Essex are to be affected because of the high temperatures being experienced across the South East.

Although morning and evening rush hour services are expected to run fully, passengers hoping to use the train during the hottest part of the day can expect disruption.

The issue, overhead powers lines which are susceptible to heat, has arisen as the Met Office predicts temperatures in the region to reach 31˚C.

The provider, National Express East Anglia, has been at pains to state the design of the overhead lines is the problem but that they will be renewed in the near future hopefully, therefore, negating the need for similar cancellations in future.

But is 31˚C really an extreme temperature? The national record from 2003 stands at 38.1˚C – were trains affected then? The increasing perception of the rail travelling public is that there is no problem too small to disrupt rail services.

Leaves on the line? Annoying but understandable. The wrong type of snow? It holds more credence after the recent winters we have had.

But the wrong kind of sun? Extremeheat? With the thermometer barely topping 30˚C? I doubt many passengers will accept this latest reason not to provide a service.

Train operators need to realise passengers are customers and not irritants.