More ScotRail trains will resume today after teams worked tirelessly to carry our repair work. Over 500 incident were reported across the rail network since high winds from Storm Eowyn ripped through the country as a red weather warnng for ‘danger to life’ was issued.
Network Rail engineers have been out tackling a painstaking clear-up after fallen trees, trampolines and even garden sheds were blown onto tracks – wreaking havoc across vital transport routes. Despite the huge clean-up operation still ongoing, ScotRail announced on Monday morning most lines have been reopened.
Those included:
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between Helensburgh Central and Edinburgh Waverley
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between Glasgow Central and Kilwinning
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from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Stirling, Alloa, Dunblane, Perth Aberdeen and Inverness
However, repairs are ongoing on the railway between Kilwinning and Ayr, Largs and Ardrossan due to severe overhead wire damage.
A ScotRail statement said: “Work continued to recover the railway from the very significant damage caused by Storm Eowyn. Network Rail had teams out since Friday night checking routes for damage and carrying out repair work.
“Network Rail has reported over 500 incident across the network. These include 120 trees on the tracks, damaged overhead wires, power supply failures, other objects on the line and more.
“Most of our lines are now reopened but some remain closed while Network Rail continues repair work. Please check the Scotrail website and app for the most up-to-date information when planning your travel.
“Customers who have been disrupted by adverse weather can use travel with their exsisting ticket up to and including Friday, January 31. Customers with unused tickets can also apply for a fee-free refund.”
Ross Moran, Route Director for Network Rail Scotland, highlighted the damage particularly to lines in the Central Belt and the West Coast Mainline. He said: “I am very grateful to our teams who have worked around the clock right across the country since Friday, when winds of up to 100mph have caused over 400 incidents across the railway.
“We’ve been dealing with over 120 trees coming down on the rail line, as well as trampolines and sheds that have been blown on the tracks, all of which we have to remove safely. We’ve also seen extensive damage to the overhead lines, power supplies, tracks, stations, depots and boundary fences, and we need to repair them so services can run safely.”
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