Storms cause more misery for the UK rail network

Parts of the rail network in Scotland, northern England and on the South Coast remain closed as a result of severe weather conditions recorded over the Christmas period and early 2016.

Wide areas of the UK already suffering from the serious flooding caused by storms Desmond and Eva in the run-up to Christmas (RAIL 790) endured more misery as the rain persisted into the New Year, and December 2015 took its place in the history books as the wettest month on record.

Rivers were already running high and ground lay saturated throughout Scotland, Wales, Cumbria and Yorkshire before Storm Frank made landfall on the evening of December 30, wreaking havoc across the entire UK rail network.

In Scotland, the West Coast Main Line between Carlisle and Glasgow will be closed until at least February 1, as engineers battle to repair a flood-damaged viaduct over the River Clyde at Lamington. 

• For much more on this, read RAIL 792, published on January 20.