Railway staff are preparing Britain’s railway for the predicted cold and stormy weather on Thursday and Friday (8/9 January) with a challenging 24 hours of heavy snow, ice, rain and high winds ahead of them.
Passengers are urged to check before they travel on Thursday afternoon and evening, and particularly on Friday morning, as the storm is forecast to last well into the night, potentially affecting the start of services.
Heavy snow is forecast in Wales, the Midlands, and North West from Thursday afternoon, along with high winds forecast in the South West, and potentially heavy rain in the South. Some lines will be closed in Wales from Thursday afternoon, and some routes in the North West may also need to be shut as a precaution.
Network Rail regional director Jake Kelly said: “Thousands of railway colleagues will do everything they can to keep the railway running across the country on Thursday night and Friday morning, but even with their best efforts we are concerned that the scale of the storm means there may still be some disruption in some areas.
“While Storm Goretti is forecast to impact most of Britain, there are some areas that could be more affected than others, so our best advice to customers is simply to arm themselves with the best information they can, from National Rail or their operators.
“In the meantime, we are working hard to get the network as best prepared as we can so we can keep rail customers moving”
Railway colleagues are:
- Clearing and gritting platforms for passengers.
- Organising extra runs of Snow and Ice Treatment Trains and snow ploughs.
- Arranging chainsaw gangs to be on shift through the storm to remove blockages.
- Checking tunnels for low-hanging icicles.
- Adapting trains for the cold weather.
- Inspecting key drainage sites to make sure they’re clear of obstructions.
- Checking points heating.
- Working together to adapt service patterns and timetables to the changing weather.
For more information about how Network Rail prepares for stormy and cold weather click here.
For up to date service information at National Rail, click here.
Image credit: Network Rail