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Train services in Inverness cancelled due to lightning strikes as …

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Trains have been brought to a standstill in the Inverness area after signals were affected by lightning strikes.

ScotRail has closed the line between Inverness and Inverness Airport and the Highland Main Line between the city and Aviemore due to the fault.

Harbour road in Inverness is currently blocked due to a technical fault with the level crossing.

However, ScotRail trains from Inverness[1] to Thurso and Wick are not affected by the lightning strikes.

⚠️ Yellow weather warning issued ⚠️

Thunderstorms across parts of Scotland and Northern IrelandMonday 1200 – Monday 2100

Latest info 👉 https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfsStay #WeatherAware⚠️ pic.twitter.com/okOGCOhGaV[2][3][4]

— Met Office (@metoffice) June 11, 2023[5]

The fault occurred as a yellow Met Office warning for thunderstorms remains in place covering the Highlands, Moray and parts of Aberdeenshire.

The warnings[6] are in force until 9pm tomorrow.

Rail engineers work to uncover fault

This evening, Network Rail engineers remain on site as work to uncover the fault continues.

ScoRail has confirmed a number of parts have been replaced, however, the fault has yet to be rectified.

Rail bosses are warning commuters to expect disruption until the end of the day.

Testing continues to establish the root cause of failure following the earlier lightning strike. We're sorry for any disruption this has caused to your journey today. Staff remain on site as further testing continues to resolve the loss of power in the Inverness area.

— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) June 11, 2023[7]

In a statement, posted on Twitter[8], Network Rail Scotland said testing on the line was under way to try and pinpoint the fault and restore power.

They wrote: “Testing continues to establish the root cause of failure following the earlier lightning strike.

“We’re sorry for any disruption this has caused to your journey today. Staff remain on site as further testing continues to resolve the loss of power in the Inverness area.”

What Inverness ScotRail services are affected by lightning?

  • 22.27 arrival at Elgin from Glasgow via Inverness will terminate at Perth.

Train services operating between Inverness, Aberdeen and the central belt have been subject to cancellation or revision due to the fault.

ScotRail staff have been busy working on arranging alternative arrangements for those travelling to and from Inverness.

Passengers have been told train tickets can be used on the Stagecoach 10 service from Inverness to Aberdeen.

ℹ️ UPDATE: We’re still trying to get buses at Perth for customers wanting to travel north. If you can, please make your own arrangements or defer travel to tomorrow – tickets will be valid. We're sorry for the inconvenience caused by a lightning strike on signalling equipment.

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) June 11, 2023[9]

Coaches have also been booked to assist passengers at Aviemore.

Rail bosses have also been trying to organise coaches for passengers travelling north from Perth.

However, they are encouraging passengers to travel tomorrow, if possible, due to the ongoing disruption.

Flash flooding alerts exteneded

Following days of hot dry weather, heavy rain has swept across the country with thunderstorms.

Pockets of heavy downpours have been experienced across the Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire throughout Sunday.

Thundery showers across the country today and the start of next week can create higher volumes of water on roads, causing difficult driving conditions. Never try to drive through flood water, it could be deeper than you think.

Keep informed with flooding https://t.co/8brApFajIP pic.twitter.com/rIIAuX0aoo[10][11]

— SEPAFlood (@SEPAFlood) June 11, 2023[12]

Sepa has issued extended flood warnings into Monday[13] as the risk of heavy showers continues.

The agency has issued amber warnings for almost the entire country, specifically warnings about the risk of thundery downpours.

Drivers have been urged to take care while out on the roads with home owners also urged to be aware of dangers from fast-flowing water.

Met Office forecasts show most of the rain in the morning will be confined to the north-west Highlands.

However, the heaviest rain will develop from about 12noon, initially in the Easter Ross area, before further intense periods of rain develop over the Cairngorms at about before moving further north towards Buckie, Banff and Fraserburgh.

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References

  1. ^ Inverness (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)
  2. ^ https://t.co/QwDLMfRBfs (t.co)
  3. ^ #WeatherAware (twitter.com)
  4. ^ pic.twitter.com/okOGCOhGaV (t.co)
  5. ^ June 11, 2023 (twitter.com)
  6. ^ warnings (www.metoffice.gov.uk)
  7. ^ June 11, 2023 (twitter.com)
  8. ^ Twitter (twitter.com)
  9. ^ June 11, 2023 (twitter.com)
  10. ^ https://t.co/8brApFajIP (t.co)
  11. ^ pic.twitter.com/rIIAuX0aoo (t.co)
  12. ^ June 11, 2023 (twitter.com)
  13. ^ Sepa has issued extended flood warnings into Monday (floodline.sepa.org.uk)
  14. ^ Sign in (www.pressandjournal.co.uk)

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