Thousands of Rangers fans could face being stranded in Manchester this weekend as Storm Eowyn is set to wreak havoc on travel plans.
Supporters have travelled down to see their side clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford tonight. But their return north could be hammered with delays and disruption with a rare red weather warning in place.
Around 3,768 are expected inside the iconic Theatre of Dreams to watch Philippe Clement’s men take on the Red Devils in the Battle of Britain Europa League tie. Meanwhile, a further 2,000 ticketless fans are expected to attend a special screening of the match at a fan zone, with thousands more expected to descend on the city.
However, fans have been urged to not try and travel home tomorrow, Friday, January 24, as gale-force winds are set to batter the country, with forecasters fearing gusts of up to 100mph in some areas.
The Met Office warning is in place between 10am and 5pm tomorrow, covering Glasgow and much of the Central Belt. Further south towards Manchester winds will be lighter but the north west of England will still be gripped by an amber alert.
Railway operators Avanti and TransPennine Express (TPE) who run services from Glasgow Central to Manchester and Manchester Airport are advising customers not to travel.
TPE has urged passengers not to travel between Manchester/Liverpool and Glasgow/ Edinburgh on Friday. Meanwhile, Avanti has warned passengers not to travel north of Preston – on the mainline back north of the border.
LNER who operator the east coast line say there will be no trains operating north of Newcastle from 11am on Friday, January 24 adding more misery to supporters trying to get home.
Andrew McClements, Customer Experience & Transformation Director at TPE, said: “Our top priority is the safety of our customers and colleagues. We will do everything possible to keep people moving under difficult conditions, however due to the weather warnings in place for this Friday, we are having to issue advice not to travel on two of our routes.
“We urge anyone travelling on the affected routes to reconsider their plans and to follow the guidance provided.”
Customers with tickets across the affected routes can either defer their journey or use tickets for travel between Thursday, January 23 to Monday, January 27 inclusive. Alternatively, they can request a full refund at tpexpress.co.uk/help/refunds.
A spokesperson for Avanti said: “We’re advising customers not to travel north of Preston or on our North Wales route on Friday 24 January due to the expected disruption by Storm Éowyn.
“Elsewhere in the UK, there is still a risk of disruption to your journey due to the impact of Storm Éowyn. We strongly recommend that you check before you travel using the link below.
“If you are due to travel north of Preston or on our North Wales route on Friday 24 January, then your existing ticket can be used on any Avanti West Coast service via the same route from Thursday 23 January until the end of service on Sunday 26 January.”
Rangers have urged fans to consider delaying their journey home on Friday, with the main train line being shutdown.
An update on the official Rangers SLO Twitter/ X page reads: “Due to Storm Eowyn, the West Coast Main Line will be closed north of Preston tomorrow (24 Jan). No trains will run between Preston and Scotland.”
The thread added: “Additionally, a red weather warning is in place in Scotland tomorrow (10:00–17:00) for the central belt, south-west, and some islands. Please prioritise your safety, plan ahead, and consider delaying your journey if heading back north from Manchester.”
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