Storm Chandra sparks disruption across train network with GWR and ScotRail hit

Travel misery is set to continue for days for people in southwest England – with transport chaos continuing around the rest of the UK

Travel misery is set to continue for days for people in southwest England – with transport chaos continuing around the rest of the UK.

Following on from Storm Chandra, the Met Office has issued a Yellow weather warning for rain across Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and into Somerset and Wiltshire.

Forecasters say: “Further rain on Thursday afternoon to early Friday is expected to lead to some transport disruption and exacerbate flooding in places.”

These are the key locations experiencing transport chaos.

Rail

The Met Office warning for Thursday and Friday comes as the rail network in southwest England is already severely disrupted.

Rail firm GWR says: “Back-to-back storms have brought persistent heavy rain and widespread flooding across the region, forcing the closure of several rail lines.”

The links from Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple and Okehampton in Devon are closed, as are the Cornish lines from Liskeard to Looe and Par to Newquay.

GWR is telling passengers: “Poor road conditions mean bus replacement services cannot be provided on these routes at this stage. Should conditions improve, replacement bus services will be provided where possible. These branch lines are likely to remain closed for several days and no rail services will operate.”

Further disruption awaits, with the Night Riviera sleeper train between London Paddington and Penzance cancelled in both directions on Wednesday night.

The rail firm explained: “Following Storm Ingrid, a large sink hole has appeared near the railway between Dawlish and Teignmouth.

“The railway line will be closed between Exeter St Davids and Newton Abbot from 7pm on Wednesday 28 January to allow the work to take place and will reopen at 7am on Thursday 29 January. Services will continue to run between London and Exeter St Davids and Penzance and Newton Abbot.”

Network Rail Western posted a picture showing a collapsed footpath. The organisation said: “We need to close the footpath between Teignmouth and Smugglers' Lane this evening to allow us to fix this sinkhole next to the railway, caused by Storm Ingrid.”

In Scotland, ScotRail says: “Severe weather is causing disruption to services running on various routes across the ScotRail network.

“To allow trains to travel safely through areas impacted by the poor weather, speed restrictions may be imposed. Lines may also be disrupted as a result of debris being blown onto the track, or fallen trees. The line across the Highlands from Perth to Inverness has a speed restriction resulting in delays of up to half-an-hour.

Elsewhere, the main TransPennine route between Manchester and Leeds is closed until at least 6am on Thursday due to damage from a fire in Standedge Tunnel. Trains are being diverted via the Calder Valley but journeys are slower than usual.

Air

Once again events at Amsterdam Schiphol airport are causing problems for British travellers. Earlier this month severe wintry weather led to dozens of cancellations. Today the cause appears to be a military exercise.

Amsterdam airport said in a statement: “The Royal Netherlands Air and Space Force will be conducting training with F-35 fighter jets at Schiphol. Travellers may see and hear these aircraft during the day. This is a temporary exercise to practice operating safely at a civil airport. Regular air traffic will continue as usual.”

But a range of links to and from Amsterdam on KLM have been cancelled, including UK services to Aberdeen, London Heathrow and Teeside. Flights on other airlines are also disrupted, including delays on easyJet links with Bristol and Manchester. An Aer Lingus flight from Dublin returned to its starting point.

Under air passengers’ rights rules, travellers whose flights are cancelled are entitled to be flown to their destination as soon as possible on any airline, and to be provided with meals and hotels until they get there.

Sea

In the Channel, Brittany Ferries has cancelled Wednesday sailings from Poole both Cherbourg and Bilbao in Spain.

DFDS Ferries has cancelled multiple services linking Jersey with Portsmouth and St-Malo, but an additional round-trip from the Channel Island to the French port is scheduled for Thursday.

Caledonian MacBrayne ferries in the Western Isles of Scotland continue to be disrupted “due to forecast strong winds and sea swell”.

Affected routes include the link from Oban to Barra. Calmac warns: “Sailings are at a heightened risk of disruption or cancellation at short notice.”

Read more: Storm Chandra latest