West London is in the grips of a serious heat wave, which has seen grass land fires, thunder storm warnings and some seriously bad farmers tans.

But it's the temperature below ground that's really got people in a sweat, with parts of the line boasting an almost dessert climate.

After the Mirror reported that "Tube lines where set to be as hot as Dubai" on Tuesday (August 7), we decided to conduct a little science experiment, to see just how hot a West London commute could really get.

Our reporter Hannah Dodd tried a series of commutes: London Waterloo to Harrow & Wealdstone (Bakerloo Line), Acton town to Hounslow (Piccadilly line), and a journey from Rayners Lane back to London Waterloo.

But which was hottest?

London Waterloo to Harrow & Wealdstone (As hot as Dubai)

I began my journey at London Waterloo, a quick digital temperature reading outside for posterity revealed the temperature above ground was 28C.

Going down the escalator, things quickly started heating up, and the thermometer hit 30C. It was time to be afraid.

The warm through-draft from the tunnel meant things quickly became stifling, just in time for a warning from TfL travel told commuters: "We are strongly advising that you travel with water today and do not get on the tube if you are feeling unwell." Comforting.

Boarding the Bakerloo Line carriage was when things actually got dangerous, in just a few minutes the temperature had risen to 35C.

To put that in perspective, it was exactly the same temperature as Dubai.

Not only had it risen to the mid thirties but the carriage remained at a stuffy, uncomfortable 35C for about 10 minutes. If your wondering what that felt like, I was actually struggling to concentrate and had started feeling physically unwell.

A temp reading on my body temp thermometer revealed my body temp had hit around 37.8C... anything over 38 being classed as a "fever temperature".

When the carriage moved above ground, the temperature leveled out at 33C.

By the time I got to Harrow & Wealdstone , I had drunk about a litre of water.

If I had to rate how hot this commute was in the heat wave out of five? I'd give the Bakerloo line 5 flames, it was uncomfortable and I felt extremely dehydrated in what should have been a short space of time. Would not recommend it.

Acton Town to Hounslow (hotter than Nairobi)

This journey on the Piccadilly Line should have been OK. After all, this was an 'outdoor' tube line and it couldn't be as hot as the below ground part. Or so I desperately hoped.

A reading outside Acton Town station told us we were at 29-30C, once boarding the carriage but things again began to hot up.

Despite a slight draft from the ventilation windows between the carriages, the carriage registered a reading of 33C.

This eventually dropped to 32C, but the sunlight seemed to just batter the carriage, making for a humid old journey.

By the end of this journey sweat had soaked through my clothes, and I was forced to drink another half litre of water to keep myself from going dizzy.

I also had to take a break at this station, because I had started to go 'wobbly' and was not feeling well at all.

If I had to rate this commute I'd give it 3 flames, not as frustratingly hot as the Bakerloo line but still absolutely horrible.

Rayners Lane to Waterloo (hotter than Las Vegas Nevada)

To finish off this baking hot series of commutes, it was time to travel from Rayners Lane to Waterloo.

Outside Rayners Lane station read 30C and it was time to see again what temperature the carriage would blast at me next.

Again the Piccadilly Line proved to be like a micro furnace, blowing hot air back at me through the ventilation ducts.

Changes in atmospheric pressure outside (which could indicate coming thunderstorms) meant the carriage was humid and a total hot box.

The temperature rose to around 32- 33C and things only got worse as the carriage once again dipped underground.

As the carriage filled with busy commuters, it rose to 34C and at this point it was finally time to say enough is enough, consider the towel thrown in, and head above ground.

The added people factor on this tube back from Rayners Lane made it positively steaming, and meant I had to down yet another litre of water just to feel like I could walk in a straight line.

I would give this journey four flames out of five, and say I wouldn't risk it without a substantial amount of water or a personal fan.

If there is one thing this journey taught me is, it's that a simple few minutes can turn into an uncomfortable and unhealthy nightmare.

I wouldn't advise going further than you had to during busy hours either as the dense population coupled with the oven like heat, was just too much.

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