Disruption continues as clean-up begins after Storm Floris
Caledonian Sleeper Services were cancelled on Monday night while LNER said services north of Newcastle could be delayed or cancelled on Tuesday and TransPennine Express said no services will run north of Carlisle or Newcastle before 9am.
They advised customers not to travel before then with rail operators advising passengers to check on services before travelling.
The Scottish Government said there were 119 incidents on the rail network caused by Storm Floris on Monday, including 75 tree-related ones, and Network Rail said it is working 'tirelessly' to clear routes blocked by falling trees and debris.
CalMac Ferries, which operates services on Scotland's west coast, faced disruption on Tuesday while on the roads, Traffic Scotland said the Tyne Bridge and Forth Road Bridge had reopened overnight.
Further south, the A66 in Durham and Cumbria was closed to high-sided vehicles for several hours overnight between Scotch Corner and the M6 at Penrith due to high winds.
The Scottish Government's Resilience Room held a meeting on Monday night to help decide an appropriate response to the storm, which has led to power outages and delays in exam results being delivered to pupils.
The meeting was attended by justice and home affairs secretary Angela Constance, transport secretary Fiona Hyslop, cabinet secretary for health and social care Neil Gray and climate action and energy secretary Gillian Martin, alongside representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, SEPA, transport and utilities companies and further resilience partners.
Here are the top wind gusts we have recorded so far today in association with Storm Floris
Scotland has provisionally equalled it's August record of 82mph at Wick Airport pic.twitter.com/7CaM1fmARg
— Met Office (@metoffice) August 4, 2025
Ms Constance said: 'As expected, there has been significant disruption, particularly across the travel networks.
'Power cuts are affecting a significant number of properties, and while utilities companies are working hard to reconnect supply in the face of challenging conditions, this will undoubtedly take some time to complete.
'The recovery period – both to reconnect homes to power and get transport back to normal – will require some time to clear the debris.
'We will continue to receive updates throughout Tuesday.'
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said Storm Floris had been 'the most-damaging summer storm in recent memory' with the BBC reporting around 43,500 properties were without power on Monday night.
Director of customer operations for the north of Scotland Andy Smith said: 'At the height of summer, we've mounted an operation that's comparable in size to the ones we mobilise when a storm hits during the depths of winter, but the sustained nature of these damaging winds means some affected customers may be without power overnight.'
The Highlands, Moray and Aberdeenshire were the worst hit areas and SSEN said it was providing free hot food and drinks on Tuesday in several areas where homes remained without power.
Workers cut up a tree which was felled by the wind on Plessey Road in Blyth, Northumberland (Owen Humphreys/PA)
A yellow warning for wind remained in place for the Orkney and Shetland Islands until 8am on Tuesday and while conditions are expected to improve, more wet and windy weather is likely to return to the north west of the UK late on Wednesday and into Thursday.
Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: 'While the system later this week won't carry as many impacts as Storm Floris, a further period of unseasonable wet and windy weather is on the way late on Wednesday and into Thursday for those in northwestern parts of the UK.
'An area of low pressure from the west will bring some strong winds, especially for those in western parts of Scotland.
'Gusts over 50mph are possible for a time. Some heavy rain will also accompany the strong winds, with up to 30mm possible.'
A gust of 82mph at Wick airport on Monday provisionally equalled the highest August gust in Scotland with speeds in excess of 70mph records in various parts of the country.
Cassley in the north of Scotland recorded 58.4mm of rain on Monday.
Northern Ireland also provisionally equalled a record for August with gusts of 66mph at Orlock Head
The south of the UK is expected to see less rain on Thursday, although it will remain unsettled. Changeable conditions will continue in the north and northwest into the weekend.
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South Wales Argus
24 minutes ago
- South Wales Argus
Crews in Scotland ‘working tirelessly' to rectify storm damage to railway lines
Ross Moran, rail director for Network Rail in Scotland, said storms such as Floris can have 'devastating' effects on train lines. On Tuesday, he told the PA news agency: 'The storm has caused really unprecedented challenges and damage to the railway infrastructure. 'The storm hit Scotland at around 11am on Monday. It was sustained and frequent until about 7.30pm. 'It has caused damage to overhead lines, there's been more than 100 trees, as well as sheds and trampolines, blown on to the railway infrastructure.' Mr Moran said that storms such as Floris are unusual during the summer and more common in the winter months. He added: 'What that means is we've got trees in full bloom, and therefore they're heavier and when you get wind speeds of over 100mph, the impact can be devastating to the railway infrastructure.' Mr Moran said communities in Inverness, Aberdeen and the far north of Scotland have experienced the worst disruption to railway lines, but added that clean-up crews and engineers are making 'good progress', and thanked passengers for their patience while they seek to fix any damage to the lines. He said: 'We are making good progress. At the moment there are still power issues, there are significant issues, but our engineers and track teams are out there working tirelessly, and we expect that we'll continue to make good progress, and we will be able to update passengers as the day progresses.' 🚆Many of our routes are now reopen. Some routes in the North are still being worked on. Please check our app and website for the latest service information. — ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 5, 2025 Mr Moran added: 'We are so grateful to the patience of passengers while we've worked through this difficult period, but do take our assurances that we're doing everything we can to get the lines back over and again as soon as possible.' Engineers are working to restore power to a total of around 22,000 properties in the north and north-east of Scotland. Work is also under way to clear trees from several railway lines which were blocked by the storm. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it had restored power to 60,000 properties since the onset of the high winds. SSEN's director of customer operations for the north of Scotland, Andy Smith, said: 'Storm Floris has been unusually powerful, especially for a storm at this time of year. 'It's brought down many trees that have endured several previous storms, and it's caused some network damage. 'Today, we've been able to inspect the network from the air and from the ground, and we now have a complete picture of the extent of the damage. 'There's a considerable ongoing task to restore all customers' supplies, but we have an 800-strong team whose priority is to make repairs as safely and quickly as they can, keep customers updated, and support those awaiting reconnection. 'I'd like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience while we go about this massive task; we're doing our best to give people realistic, informed estimates of when we'll get their power back on. 'I'm also grateful to the teams from our contract partners and other network operators for supporting our effort.' The company, which is the network operator for northern Scotland, said it had organised meal provision in some of the affected communities. ScotRail said some routes in the north are still facing disruption. On Monday night, the Scottish Government's resilience room held an emergency meeting to help decide an appropriate response to the storm, which has also led to delays in exam results being delivered to pupils in some island communities. Ministers including Angela Constance were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, Sepa and transport and utilities companies. Trunk road companies are continuing to remove fallen trees and debris from roads. With winds of up to 90mph in some parts of the country, a significant clear-up job will be required to inspect lines and carry out repair work before it is safe to restore a full service. More wet and windy weather is forecast for late on Wednesday and Thursday, but no Met Office weather warnings are in place for Tuesday. ScotRail is urging customers to check their journey via the app, website or JourneyCheck before they travel. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: 'While the system later this week won't carry as many impacts as Storm Floris, a further period of unseasonable wet and windy weather is on the way late on Wednesday and into Thursday for those in north-western parts of the UK. 'An area of low pressure from the west will bring some strong winds, especially for those in western parts of Scotland. 'Gusts over 50mph are possible for a time. Some heavy rain will also accompany the strong winds, with up to 30mm possible.'
North Wales Chronicle
24 minutes ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Crews in Scotland ‘working tirelessly' to rectify storm damage to railway lines
Ross Moran, rail director for Network Rail in Scotland, said storms such as Floris can have 'devastating' effects on train lines. On Tuesday, he told the PA news agency: 'The storm has caused really unprecedented challenges and damage to the railway infrastructure. 'The storm hit Scotland at around 11am on Monday. It was sustained and frequent until about 7.30pm. 'It has caused damage to overhead lines, there's been more than 100 trees, as well as sheds and trampolines, blown on to the railway infrastructure.' Mr Moran said that storms such as Floris are unusual during the summer and more common in the winter months. He added: 'What that means is we've got trees in full bloom, and therefore they're heavier and when you get wind speeds of over 100mph, the impact can be devastating to the railway infrastructure.' Mr Moran said communities in Inverness, Aberdeen and the far north of Scotland have experienced the worst disruption to railway lines, but added that clean-up crews and engineers are making 'good progress', and thanked passengers for their patience while they seek to fix any damage to the lines. He said: 'We are making good progress. At the moment there are still power issues, there are significant issues, but our engineers and track teams are out there working tirelessly, and we expect that we'll continue to make good progress, and we will be able to update passengers as the day progresses.' 🚆Many of our routes are now reopen. Some routes in the North are still being worked on. Please check our app and website for the latest service information. — ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 5, 2025 Mr Moran added: 'We are so grateful to the patience of passengers while we've worked through this difficult period, but do take our assurances that we're doing everything we can to get the lines back over and again as soon as possible.' Engineers are working to restore power to a total of around 22,000 properties in the north and north-east of Scotland. Work is also under way to clear trees from several railway lines which were blocked by the storm. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it had restored power to 60,000 properties since the onset of the high winds. SSEN's director of customer operations for the north of Scotland, Andy Smith, said: 'Storm Floris has been unusually powerful, especially for a storm at this time of year. 'It's brought down many trees that have endured several previous storms, and it's caused some network damage. 'Today, we've been able to inspect the network from the air and from the ground, and we now have a complete picture of the extent of the damage. 'There's a considerable ongoing task to restore all customers' supplies, but we have an 800-strong team whose priority is to make repairs as safely and quickly as they can, keep customers updated, and support those awaiting reconnection. 'I'd like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience while we go about this massive task; we're doing our best to give people realistic, informed estimates of when we'll get their power back on. 'I'm also grateful to the teams from our contract partners and other network operators for supporting our effort.' The company, which is the network operator for northern Scotland, said it had organised meal provision in some of the affected communities. ScotRail said some routes in the north are still facing disruption. On Monday night, the Scottish Government's resilience room held an emergency meeting to help decide an appropriate response to the storm, which has also led to delays in exam results being delivered to pupils in some island communities. Ministers including Angela Constance were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, Sepa and transport and utilities companies. Trunk road companies are continuing to remove fallen trees and debris from roads. With winds of up to 90mph in some parts of the country, a significant clear-up job will be required to inspect lines and carry out repair work before it is safe to restore a full service. More wet and windy weather is forecast for late on Wednesday and Thursday, but no Met Office weather warnings are in place for Tuesday. ScotRail is urging customers to check their journey via the app, website or JourneyCheck before they travel. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: 'While the system later this week won't carry as many impacts as Storm Floris, a further period of unseasonable wet and windy weather is on the way late on Wednesday and into Thursday for those in north-western parts of the UK. 'An area of low pressure from the west will bring some strong winds, especially for those in western parts of Scotland. 'Gusts over 50mph are possible for a time. Some heavy rain will also accompany the strong winds, with up to 30mm possible.'
STV News
24 minutes ago
- STV News
Crews ‘working tirelessly' to repair damaged railway lines after Storm Floris
Teams are 'working tirelessly' to rectify the damage to railway infrastructure brought by Storm Floris, Network Rail said. Ross Moran, rail director for Network Rail in Scotland, said storms such as Floris can have 'devastating' effects on train lines. On Tuesday, he told the PA news agency: 'The storm has caused really unprecedented challenges and damage to the railway infrastructure. 'The storm hit Scotland at around 11am on Monday. It was sustained and frequent until about 7.30pm. 'It has caused damage to overhead lines, there's been more than 100 trees, as well as sheds and trampolines, blown on to the railway infrastructure.' Mr Moran said that storms such as Floris are unusual during the summer and more common in the winter months. He added: 'What that means is we've got trees in full bloom, and therefore they're heavier and when you get wind speeds of over 100mph, the impact can be devastating to the railway infrastructure.' Mr Moran said communities in Inverness, Aberdeen and the far north of Scotland have experienced the worst disruption to railway lines, but added that clean-up crews and engineers are making 'good progress', and thanked passengers for their patience while they seek to fix any damage to the lines. He said: 'We are making good progress. At the moment there are still power issues, there are significant issues, but our engineers and track teams are out there working tirelessly, and we expect that we'll continue to make good progress, and we will be able to update passengers as the day progresses.' 🚆Many of our routes are now reopen. Some routes in the North are still being worked on. Please check our app and website for the latest service information. — ScotRail (@ScotRail) August 5, 2025 Mr Moran added: 'We are so grateful to the patience of passengers while we've worked through this difficult period, but do take our assurances that we're doing everything we can to get the lines back over and again as soon as possible.' Engineers are working to restore power to a total of around 22,000 properties in the north and north-east of Scotland. Work is also under way to clear trees from several railway lines which were blocked by the storm. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it had restored power to 60,000 properties since the onset of the high winds. SSEN's director of customer operations for the north of Scotland, Andy Smith, said: 'Storm Floris has been unusually powerful, especially for a storm at this time of year. 'It's brought down many trees that have endured several previous storms, and it's caused some network damage. 'Today, we've been able to inspect the network from the air and from the ground, and we now have a complete picture of the extent of the damage. 'There's a considerable ongoing task to restore all customers' supplies, but we have an 800-strong team whose priority is to make repairs as safely and quickly as they can, keep customers updated, and support those awaiting reconnection. 'I'd like to thank our customers for their understanding and patience while we go about this massive task; we're doing our best to give people realistic, informed estimates of when we'll get their power back on. 'I'm also grateful to the teams from our contract partners and other network operators for supporting our effort.' The company, which is the network operator for northern Scotland, said it had organised meal provision in some of the affected communities. ScotRail said some routes in the north are still facing disruption. On Monday night, the Scottish Government's resilience room held an emergency meeting to help decide an appropriate response to the storm, which has also led to delays in exam results being delivered to pupils in some island communities. Ministers including Angela Constance were joined by representatives from the Met Office, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland, Sepa and transport and utilities companies. Trunk road companies are continuing to remove fallen trees and debris from roads. With winds of up to 90mph in some parts of the country, a significant clear-up job will be required to inspect lines and carry out repair work before it is safe to restore a full service. More wet and windy weather is forecast for late on Wednesday and Thursday, but no Met Office weather warnings are in place for Tuesday. ScotRail is urging customers to check their journey via the app, website or JourneyCheck before they travel. Met Office deputy chief meteorologist Mike Silverstone said: 'While the system later this week won't carry as many impacts as Storm Floris, a further period of unseasonable wet and windy weather is on the way late on Wednesday and into Thursday for those in north-western parts of the UK. 'An area of low pressure from the west will bring some strong winds, especially for those in western parts of Scotland. 'Gusts over 50mph are possible for a time. Some heavy rain will also accompany the strong winds, with up to 30mm possible.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
