STORM Ali has hit Scotland’s rail network, with ScotRail cancelling hundreds of trains due to severe weather.
Fallen trees and other obstructions mean that cancellations and delays are having a severe impact on Central Belt lines this afternoon.
Services to and from Glasgow Central on most routes are currently cancelled.
A ScotRail spokesperson said: “The Met Office has issued an Amber weather warning for high winds and heavy rain. Storm Ali is having a severe impact on Scotland’s railway infrastructure, particularly in the Central Belt.
“The storm has caused major line blockages – for example a number of trees have fallen onto the line – and overheard wires have been damaged. This has resulted in the suspension of a number of our routes.
“Network Rail engineers are working flat out to get things back to normal, and we’re doing everything we can to keep people moving. Services will be severely impacted for the rest of the day.”
⚠️#StormAli ⚠️
Trees and other obstructions are blowing onto the railway blocking tracks across the Central Belt. Services suspended between Glasgow Central High Level and:
Ayr
Largs
Ardrossan
Gourock
Wemyss Bay
Edinburgh via Shotts
Lanark
Paisley Canal
Barrhead/Kilmarnock— ScotRail (@ScotRail) September 19, 2018
Overhead wire problems have also caused services involving Partick station to be cancelled.
This issue is expected to have an impact into this evening, meaning a difficult commute home for anyone who uses the Glasgow low level lines through both Central and Queen Street.
Due to damage to the overhead electric wires at #Partick, all lines through the station are closed. We cannot run any trains through the station. More info ASAP. ^CT pic.twitter.com/r7bRY9YS12
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) September 19, 2018
An overnight derailment of a freight train between Inverness and Aviemore has also caused travel chaos in the north of the country, which is expected to last into the afternoon.
A full list of at least 300 cancelled trains has been posted on ScotRail’s website.
To check your journey visit https://www.journeycheck.com/scotrail/
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