Image copyright Getty Images This summer is set to be one of the hottest – and driest – on record. With no substantial rain since May and temperatures tipping past 30 C (8 6F ), a hosepipe banning looms as the heatwave continues to stretch ahead of us in an untypically British way.
There are, as with most things in life, pros and cons to the hot weather.
Watering can salespeople enjoy a boom in trade, their equivalents in the electric blanket department insure a slump. Butterflies bask in the long hot days, unaware of the jeopardy faced by the next generation of caterpillars.
Here are some of the wins and losers of the season.
On the rails
Image copyright Getty Images Overcrowded rail services are rarely improved by hot weather, with both practical and personal hurdles to overcome. Heat can buckle tracks and cause lags, while your fellow-traveller’s underarm aroma could be intensified by the oven-like atmosphere of the quiet carriage.
On the other hand, business is booming at heritage railways. Chuffing along with the wind( and soot) in your hair while hoping to spot Jenny Agutter waving her red petticoat is something that can be enjoyed in soar temperatures.
For example, the Severn Valley Railway is expecting bumper numbers this weekend, and has added new dates for its Wizard Express, while Telford Steam Railway is preparing for 500 people to turn up on Sunday.
Shouting “Oh, my daddy! My daddy! ” is optional.
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