Commuters travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow by train this morning have been hit by delays and cancellations as flooding continues to cause problems on the line.
Network Rail engineers have been working overnight to pump water off the track at Linlithgow following heavy rain showers yesterday evening.
ScotRail said they had secured some replacement transport options but advised anyone travelling between the two cities to make alternative arrangements where possible.
Disruption is expected until at least this afternoon with services from Glasgow Queen Street High Level terminating at Linlithgow or Falkirk Grahamston with bus services for the rest of the journey.
Passengers can travel the full way via train from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh via Shotts and Glasgow Queen St. Low Level to Edinburgh via Bathgate.
These journeys will take significantly longer than the express services and are expected to be busy.
UPDATE: Here's a video of the flooding in the Winchburgh Tunnel. Thanks to @NetworkRailSCOT who are working hard to reduce the water level so that trains can start running again. We'll keep you updated on their progress via our feed and JourneyCheck ? https://t.co/J1m2DnhAEG pic.twitter.com/V6EP2tnrUZ
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 8, 2019
UPDATE: Latest travel info here ?
Customers can travel on services between Glasgow Queen Street Low Level and Edinburgh via Airdrie, and Glasgow Central to Edinburgh via Shotts but journeys may be longer. pic.twitter.com/Z6zaOGrPW0
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 8, 2019
Last night, passengers reported being stuck on trains for several hours following the closure of the track.
Services between the capital and Glasgow Queen Street High Level and Dunblane were affected – with some passengers being taken back to Edinburgh.
ScotRail later tweeted footage of conditions inside the Winchburgh Tunnel after “a massive amount of rain”.
Another post read: “The 1934 and 1945 departures aren’t able to move forward towards Glasgow, as the floodwater is too deep in Winchburgh Tunnel.
“Now arranging for both to return to Edinburgh. It’ll be the 1945 departure first, followed by the 1934 departure.”
The disruption comes amid a busy Edinburgh Festival Fringe season and with thousands of music fans heading to Princes Street Gardens to see Florence + The Machine.
Edinburgh Summer Sessions organisers earlier on Wednesday tweeted to inform revellers of a delay in opening the gates to the venue because of the conditions.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service were also called out to a number of incidents in the east of the country on Wednesday with homes evacuated near the Firth of Forth.
A spokesman told PA: “We were called to an incident at Mckelvie Parade Cycle Path at Lower Granton Road in Edinburgh at 1735 hours on Wednesday 7th August.
“Operations control mobilised two appliances and a line rescue team who assisted an adult male stuck on the sea wall.
“The casualty was handed to the Scottish Ambulance Service for treatment and the fire service left the scene at 1844.
“We were also called to am incident at Park Road in Rosyth at 1553 hours on Wednesday 7th August due to flooding affecting properties in the street.
“Operations control mobilised two appliances and a water rescue team who assisted occupiers of properties in Park Road and Harvie Street.
“A rescue centre has been set up by Rosyth Rugby Club.”
Enjoy the convenience of having The Sunday Post delivered as a digital ePaper straight to your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Subscribe for only £5.49 a month and enjoy all the benefits of the printed paper as a digital replica.
Subscribe