Commuters bake as temperatures on London Tube hit 97F during rush hour

London commuters cooked in temperatures of 97F inside crammed Tube carriages this evening on their way home from work. 

City workers wiped the sweat from their brows, buttoned down their shirt collars and rolled up their sleeves as they suffered in silence and shared an uncomfortable, sticky journey home.  

While Brits basked in the sunshine – with a year high 91.94F recorded in Santon Downham, Suffolk – London commuters entered the depths of the sweaty, stuffy underground.

London commuters cooked inside crammed Tube carriages this afternoon as temperatures hit 91F in parts of Britain

Passengers had no option but to travel in sauna-like trains with very basic air conditioning

Passengers had no option but to travel in sauna-like trains with very basic air conditioning

Commuters fanned themselves down on a Central Line train during their sticky, stuffy journey

The mercury rushed from 86F at the entrance to Liverpool Street station, central London, to 91F on the platform of one of the capital’s deepest, oldest tube lines. 

The red hot Central line has been clacking through the tunnels with basic air ventilation systems since the year 1900. It’s London’s longest tube line at 34 miles long.

Passengers had no option but to travel in sauna-like carriages, where the temperature rocketed to a baking 97F.

Sarah Gordon, a lawyer from Finchley Road, north London, usually avoids peak times in the heat and enjoys the delights of the air conditioned metropolitan line train.

A thermometer reads nearly 100F on a Central line tube train - one of the capital's deepest, oldest tube lines

A thermometer reads nearly 100F on a Central line tube train – one of the capital’s deepest, oldest tube lines

Unpleasant: A young girl tries to cool herself down with an electric fan as her family squeeze into the boiling carriage

Unpleasant: A young girl tries to cool herself down with an electric fan as her family squeeze into the boiling carriage

A woman clutches a bottle of water in an attempt to keep hydrated while using sweltering public transport this evening

A woman clutches a bottle of water in an attempt to keep hydrated while using sweltering public transport this evening

The 35-year-old was outraged by the conditions on the rickety Central line today as she travelled through its busiest stations at 6.30pm to try on bridesmaids’ dresses at Oxford Circus.

She said: ‘Knowing it is 36 degrees down here is shocking – that is almost body temperature.

‘It is awful when you get on a train as normal and you leave soaked through with sweat.

A woman waves a fan in the direction of her friend to try keep her cool while riding the train

A woman waves a fan in the direction of her friend to try keep her cool while riding the train

Packed: Passengers were on top of one another in the sweaty carriages where it was almost 100F

Packed: Passengers were on top of one another in the sweaty carriages where it was almost 100F

‘I am going to try on bridesmaids’ dresses for my best friend’s wedding and it will feel absolutely disgusting and sticky after this journey.

‘If this was my commute I would want to work from home or move home or job to avoid the hot, sweaty journey.

‘You would need to go home and shower before doing anything else.’

Sam Mitchell, 27, is a trainee solicitor who uses the Central line to commute from East Acton on West London, to St Paul’s in central London every weekday.

The red hot Central line has been clacking through the tunnels with basic air ventilation systems since the year 1900

The red hot Central line has been clacking through the tunnels with basic air ventilation systems since the year 1900

City workers wiped the sweat from their brows, buttoned down their shirt collars and rolled up their sleeves as they suffered in silence

City workers wiped the sweat from their brows, buttoned down their shirt collars and rolled up their sleeves as they suffered in silence

He often waits 15 minutes fighting for a space on an overcrowded carriage and said the worst part of his 35 minute sweltering journey is between Marble Arch and St Paul’s where overcrowding is pushed to the max.

He said: ‘This commute in this heat is the worst way to start my day. It is really uncomfortable.

‘There is no air conditioning which is appalling.’

Michael Obire, 25 of Marylebone, central London, started taking a longer, alternative route to commute to his job as a sales executive at St Paul’s.

Michael said: ‘My tactic is to stand next to the carriage door window where you can catch a slight breeze.

‘The Central and Northern lines are the worst; it is too hot down there.

‘They are the most crowded, especially in zones one and two.

‘I avoid it when I can in this heat.’

Kavina Depala, an 18-year-old sales executive, takes the Central line from Tottenham Court Road to St Paul’s as part of her daily commute from High Barnet, north London.

She said: ‘I dread the rush hour. It’s really hot and stuffy. There are so many people and it is boiling on the train.’



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