Storm Darragh - 6/7th Dec

[M1544]

The Calder Valley line has once again been closed for most of this afternoon and evening due to flooding at Walsden and Copy Pit. However - as with the previous closure the weekend before last due to Storm Bert - Northern and Network Rail have been publicising the delays and cancellations as having been caused by fallen trees. Why is this?

Because there’s been multiple fallen trees between Sowerby Bridge and Hebden Bridge ongoing since early evening, so there was both flooding and fallen trees affecting the Calder Valley not just floods.

 

[Dewedin]

At Leeds station last night while I was in there for about 20 minutes there were no announcements or information being put up about replacement buses. I just went to the replacement bus stop and lucked out, becoming one of very few passengers to board a coach in my direction, but plenty more passengers left in the station without any idea what they should do.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes, always the case. Remember one winter most weekends like this.

Yes, I guess this is the future now.

Indeed. It makes a nightmare for football, let alone any travel disruption. Then again that happens most days weather or not.

Indeed. More far flung, inaccessible Tuesday night games as a result.

And, at the risk of sounding like conspiracy theorist, they always arrive in alphabetical order.

There's definitely something fishy going on.

 

[Shepley]

Thank you all for your helpful responses. We are heading to KX. The earliest train we could get seats on from Doncaster was 90 minutes later than planned but that’s a small price to pay. Passenger Assistance booked. Uber rescheduled.

This plan might not survive first contact with today’s chaos but at least it’s a plan.

 

[diffident]

Thank you all for your helpful responses. We are heading to KX. The earliest train we could get seats on from Doncaster was 90 minutes later than planned but that’s a small price to pay. Passenger Assistance booked. Uber rescheduled.

This plan might not survive first contact with today’s chaos but at least it’s a plan.

Passenger assistance should see you right. Let us know how it goes!

 

[Shrewbly]

There's definitely something fishy going on.

Fishy with a capital F?

 

[yorksrob]

Fishy with a capital F?

Whatever it is, it's definitely not a hurricane !

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Fishy with a capital F?

Storm Fishy is the next but one named string, preceded by the current Storm Dodgy and the forthcoming Storm Extremely-Suspicious!

 

[brad465]

Red wind warning now issued along a number of western coasts:

Storm Darragh: Met Office issues rare red wind warning

Storm Darragh: Met Office issues rare red wind warning

www.bbc.co.uk

The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning for wind, as Storm Darragh approaches.

The warning is in place from 03:00 to 11:00 GMT on Saturday, covering western and southern coastal regions of Wales as well as the Bristol Channel in England.

Yellow wind warnings are in place for swathes of the UK on Friday, with amber warnings covering the west coast of England and Wales, as well as Northern Ireland, on Saturday morning.

Red weather warnings are the most serious type of warning. The Met Office only issues them when meteorologists believe that dangerous, potentially life-threatening weather is expected imminently.

 

[cheekybifta]

What sort of wind speeds typically make it unsafe to remove fallen trees and wires from the lines?

If/when damage is done early tomorrow morning it could be a long time before it calms down - possibly the full weekend in places before work can start?

 

[beeceegee]

Weather warning now RED for Wales & Bristol area

 

[A S Leib]

Stirling, Aviemore and Fort William but not Inverness or Perth are covered by a yellow snow warning from 20:00 to 09:00 tonight.

 

[yorksrob]

Don't eat that yellow snow
Down where the huskies go..

 

[Wivenswold]

Sunday could be interesting, gale force northerlies are unusual particularly down the eastern side of the country so it's likely to test the resilience of trees and weak structures and garden furniture.
I'll be watching the disruption from the warmth of my room.

Good luck and take care if you're heading out.

 

[308165]

At Leeds station last night while I was in there for about 20 minutes there were no announcements or information being put up about replacement buses. I just went to the replacement bus stop and lucked out, becoming one of very few passengers to board a coach in my direction, but plenty more passengers left in the station without any idea what they should do.

I was also at Leeds last night teying to get towards Skipton. Information was, as always, virtually non-existent. No indication of when updates might be expected, no sign of promised buses, no staff around to provide information.

What would have helped would have been a bit more effort to get a Leeds - Bradford Interchange service going after the route via Pudsey reopened. That would have at least allowed access to Forster Sq for Ilkely and Skipton passengers.

 

[Smidster]

I had arranged that tomorrow would travel from West Yorkshire (likely Hebden B) to Knutsford and back later in the day.

What do we think group consensus is right now? abandon early and try again or see how bad things look in the morning?

Also tried this two weeks ago and was thwarted by the last storm.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I had arranged that tomorrow would travel from West Yorkshire (likely Hebden B) to Knutsford and back later in the day.

What do we think group consensus is right now? abandon early and try again or see how bad things look in the morning?

Also tried this two weeks ago and was thwarted by the last storm.

Based on my own similar experiences travelling from South Yorkshire, I'd suggest you make the journey anyway but plan some alternative routes home in case of flooding or fallen trees and perhaps take a toothbrush and clean underwear on the off chance you get stranded overnight!

 

[yorksrob]

Based on my own similar experiences travelling from South Yorkshire, I'd suggest you make the journey anyway but plan some alternative routes home in case of flooding or fallen trees and perhaps take a toothbrush and clean underwear on the off chance you get stranded overnight!

Sound advice.

 

[anthony263]

First cymru buses suspending bus services from midnight tonight until midday tomorrow

 

[stuartl]

Just got back from shoping and noticed a lot of inflatable santa's etc. outside houses. I wonder how many wil survive the storm. 57mph gusts predicted for tommorrow.

 

[Nottingham59]

Snowdon summit is forecast on Saturday for sustained wind speed of 100mph, with gusts of 110. Which corresponds to a Category 2 Hurricane.

 

[chrisp37]

We're travelling down to Paignton tonight and are booked on the 9pm Christmas Train of Lights on the Dartmouth Steam Railway tomorrow. Website currently says all services still scheduled to run ... Fingers crossed.

 

[Wivenswold]

One of the issues this weekend, particularly in the East is that any repairs to infrastructure (OHL in particular) may be delayed by further gales on Sunday.

@Smidster Looking like gusts of up to 60mph across the Pennines, potentially much higher towards Knutsford and the Cheshire Gap. It's worth remembering that while the lines you're using may be unaffected by issues, there are usually knock-on effects such as rolling stock access from the depot, crews being able to get to work and services being stripped back to provide cover busier routes.

Definitely have a plan B.

 

[87electric]

Just got back from shoping and noticed a lot of inflatable santa's etc. outside houses. I wonder how many wil survive the storm. 57mph gusts predicted for tommorrow.

First photo of Santa in the overhead wires wins a delay repay form for 2.

 

[A S Leib]

I was planning on going from Newcastle to Glasgow via Carlisle tomorrow; going off of Avanti's habit of abandoning Preston – Scotland in bad weather (and the weather warnings), I think trying to postpone the journey might be a good idea.

 

[Wivenswold]

Based on the Met Office metrics for the warnings, I would not recommend any travel through areas within the amber and red warning areas and travel within the yellow warning area only if it is unavoidable.

Trains are still stuffed in the Wakefield area after a tree came down in yesterday's considerably less windy storm.

 

[cheekybifta]

TfW have now cancelled all Chester - Liverpool Lime St for tomorrow, which is fairly routine with Merseyrail as an alternative and generally means they want to concentrate resources on other routes.

 

[A S Leib]

Based on the Met Office metrics for the warnings, I would not recommend any travel through areas within the amber and red warning areas and travel within the yellow warning area only if it is unavoidable.

That's not an assessment I disagree with. I wish that TOCs made it clearer what rights on moving travel dates due to severe weather were though.

 

[londonmidland]

Cross Country have issued a DO NOT TRAVEL warning for tomorrow. Little information at the moment of this post, however they said the following:

We’re advising customers NOT TO TRAVEL this Saturday.

Those who do use our services can expect short-notice delays and cancellations, plus overcrowding due to fewer services than usual in operation. Please check before you travel: crosscountrytrains.co.uk/service-updates

I imagine other TOCs will soon follow suit and will post their plans and information regarding tomorrow’s services.

 

[Horizon22]

Cross Country have issued a DO NOT TRAVEL warning for tomorrow. Little information at the moment of this post, however they said the following:



I imagine other TOCs will soon follow suit and will post their plans and information regarding tomorrow’s services.

Imagine it's the West Country services that will be most affected and Cardiff - Nottingham but given the nature of the network New St is likely to be disrupted considerably too.