UK thunderstorm warnings: Heavy rain, lightning and hail mark end of warm spell

After the settled and warm spell of late summer weather many of us have had over the last week change is on the way.

The Met Office has issued yellow thunderstorm warnings for Friday and Saturday.

As well as the risk of lightning, some places in southern England and Wales could see as much as 50mm (2in) of rain, bringing the possibility of flooding and transport disruption.

This is in contrast to the past week with temperatures above average and for some in northern Scotland, the warmest spell so late in September since 2019.



Heavy showers and storms will start to develop on Friday, in central southern England, the Midlands, parts of Wales and especially south-west England.

Gusty winds and hail may accompany the downpours, with the possibility of local flash flooding.

Later in the day, the storms are expected to fade. However, another spell of storms is forecast to reach the south coast of England in the early hours of Saturday, with more downpours spreading across England and Wales throughout the day.

On both days, the thunderstorms will be hit or miss, meaning that some locations will escape them altogether. However, where they do occur, as much as 50mm (2in) of rain could fall.

Taunton, in particular, please note. 

Torbay's not well provided with tidal gauges: however, this afternoon's tide at Plymouth is overachieving.

Mark

https://ntslf.org/tides/uk-network/realtime?port=Plymouth

Well there hangs a tale.

Mark

NEWQUAY LINE CLOSED
FALMOUTH LINE CLOSED
due to flooding

Currently with the line west of Exeter St D closed UFN the nearest railhead for Cornwall is OKEHAMPTON !

Well that's certainly the impression given by GWR's Journeycheck information; however 2F88 has just departed Truro and is on its way down the Falmouth Branch. Cue excitement of watching to see if it makes it all the way! 

Embarrassing that a 30+ year old train has to rescue passengers off a train less than five years old 

Suspect there will be a few of these today. I had 4 friends (2 couples) trying to get to Plymouth from Exeter late afternoon/evening, one managed to get on a bus, the others booked into a hotel and have been advised to send details/receipts to GWR.

https://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/news/local-news/14-month-old-baby-among-9591164?utm_term=Autofeed&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1727651345

There's a video from coastal camera footage arrived in my You Tube feed showing the rescue of the broken down train at Dawlish - link here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB9YYWmXQsU

It seems that this was an unfortunate coincidence of high spring tides around the autumn equinox and strong SE winds. Might a precautionary suspension of Inter-city services and shuttle with sprinters be a good idea as a standing contingency plan? No doubt those in the business will know if that's possible.

Following its rescue yesterday it had been left on Platform 3 at Newton Abbot causing some congestion today.

24 hours after it failed on the seawall yesterday, the nine car IET (802108) departed Newton Abbot a short while ago to head to North Pole depot via London Paddington.   

Following its rescue yesterday it had been left on Platform 3 at Newton Abbot causing some congestion today.

Years ago, I and others doubted that the IETs would cope with the well known severe conditions at Dawlish.
Supporters of the new units assured as that coping with conditions at Dawlish was an "essential requirement" and that the new trains would be fine !
When this was found not to be the case, one respected member stated that the "essential requirement" meant that the decorative finish should withstand the conditions, and not that the trains should actually function in bad weather !

ANOTHER victory for my crystal ball 

Stops at Dawlish are being withdrawn from IET services this evening due to forecasted severe weather.

Dawlish: Lifts out of order
The (NEW) lifts will be out of order between Platform 1 and Platform 1 from now until further notice at Dawlish station.
Last Updated:04/10/2024 17:40

***snip***

One day I must get to Dawlish...

Perhaps, in exposed positions, include consultancy advice from a shetland pony. The one in the photo below had its back to a clear run of sea all the way from Nova Scotia.

Mark

Due to forecasted severe weather at Dawlish fewer trains are able to run on all lines.

Impact:
Train services running through this station will be cancelled. Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer Advice:
Due to expected bad weather in South Devon this evening, as precaution we will be limiting the number of trains calling at Dawlish station.

Only a few trains will be affected, but if you are on a train that is, please adhere to the following advice:

Customers on trains from London Paddington, or north of Dawlish should change at Exeter St. David's where connections are available.

For those travelling from Cornwall and other stations south of Dawlish, please change at Newton Abbot for connections.

We apologise for the inconvenience this evening.

TRAIN PLAN:
The following Up trains will not call at Dawlish:
2M72
2U32
2E30

The following Down trains will not call at Dawlish:
1C89
2C87
1C84.

Embarrassing that a 30+ year old train has to rescue passengers off a train less than five years old 

You cant expect a new train to be as good as the old ones, in either water resistance or in passenger comfort.
This is called progress..

Just wait until this Wednesday then.....say hello to Kirk for me

Interesting comment on Kirk.  I had assumed that the deluge we had on Tuesday afternoon / evening had come from it.

Looks like the BBC weather app and website have returned to normal. A glitch in their data feed meant they were forecasting temperatures of over 400C and wind speeds of 13000mph for parts of the UK

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cx25wjjnxp0o

It's been hard to keep up with events, but, trying to summarise the state towards the end of Sunday:

Information gathered from Journeycheck / RTT / Opentraintimes / Tiger. Not always logically consistent.

Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Okehampton via Crediton
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple via Crediton
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Swansea via Bristol Parkway
Cancellations to services between Exeter St Davids and Bristol Temple Meads
Cancellations to services between London Paddington and Penzance via Exeter St Davids
Cancellations to services between Liskeard and Looe
Cancellations to services between Plymouth and Gunnislake
Delays to services between Gloucester and Bristol Parkway

05:10 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill due 06:15

05:10 Oxford to Worcester Shrub Hill due 06:15 will be cancelled.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07

05:11 Gloucester to Southampton Central due 08:07 will be cancelled.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

05:23 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 06:57

05:23 Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington due 06:57 will be cancelled.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

03:38 Swansea to London Paddington due 07:16
03:38 Swansea to London Paddington due 07:16 will be terminated at Bristol Parkway.
It will no longer call at Swindon, Didcot Parkway, Reading and London Paddington.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

04:50 Fratton to Bristol Temple Meads due 07:28
04:50 Fratton to Bristol Temple Meads due 07:28 was started from Eastleigh.
It will no longer call at Fratton, Cosham, Portchester and Fareham.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

05:27 Newbury to Reading due 06:03
05:27 Newbury to Reading due 06:03 will be started from Newbury Racecourse.
It will no longer call at Newbury.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

06:38 Weymouth to Gloucester due 10:02
06:38 Weymouth to Gloucester due 10:02 will be started from Yeovil Pen Mill.
It will no longer call at Weymouth, Upwey, Dorchester West, Maiden Newton, Chetnole, Yetminster and Thornford.
This is due to heavy rain flooding the railway.

Major rail disruption persists

published at 05:28

Flooding and high winds brought by Storm Bert have caused significant travel disruption across the country.
The most affected areas appear to be the routes linking London with the west of England and Wales.

Network Rail has advised people not to travel today on the following routes:
Penzance to London Paddington Newport
Bristol Parkway to London Paddington Bristol Temple Meads, Swindon, Reading to London Paddington
Worcester to London Paddington
Exeter St Davids to Okehampton and Exeter to Barnstaple

Several other rail lines are also closed or expecting serious disruption, including:
All lines between Plymouth and Gunnislake are closed, as well as those between Liskeard and Looe
Some lines in the Northampton area area blocked
The line between Great Malvern and Hereford is closed
Trains will not run between Lancaster and Barrow-in-Furness until Friday

This list is not exhaustive - check the National Rail website or with your train operator before travelling.

And yet GWR’s own website tells us “There’s a good service running across our network”.

And yet GWR’s own website tells us “There’s a good service running across our network”.

It highlights some serious deficiencies within GWR control, be it experience, decision making and/or staffing levels.

And yet GWR’s own website tells us “There’s a good service running across our network”.

London Paddington - Swansea

Train services between London Paddington and South Wales are subject to severe disruption due to flooding. The level of disruption combined with shortages of train crew and planned engineering works means that GWR are unable to guarantee that any journey on this route will remain feasible this evening and intending customers are strongly advised to amend their travel plans to travel today or Tuesday 26th November.

Trains are only running between London Paddington and Swindon, they are unable to divert via alternative routes as these are both closed by flooding. Great Western Railway are unable to offer alternative transport between Swindon and Bristol Parkway. You are advised not to attempt to travel along this route.

... that trains on the Bristol-Southampton line are running a tolerably useful service. ( I was going to include the Melksham line (gasp) but at this moment the train's in the platform at Westbury, apparently waiting for a conductor).

We promised to keep you updated on the impact of Storm Bert on our services. Network Rail and GWR teams have been working throughout the day to clear and inspect the lines, opening them for service where possible.
 
We are now able to operate a limited service on most of our routes, including from South Wales, Bristol and the Cotswolds to London. Our South Wales services must operate via a diversionary route due to flooding between Bristol Parkway and Swindon, meaning journeys are taking longer.
 
Flooding is still blocking the line between Bedwyn and Taunton, meaning there are no long-distance services between Devon & Cornwall and London. Customers are advised not to travel on this route; we do have ticket acceptance on SWR from Exeter St Davids to London Waterloo for customers who do need to travel.
 
Local services in Devon & Cornwall are now operating with the exception of the Barnstaple and Okehampton lines which remain closed. Our Night Riviera sleeper service will not operate tonight or tomorrow (Tuesday 26 Nov).
 
We will maintain a reduced service on our long-distance routes tomorrow (Tuesday 26 Nov). Additional rain is forecast for tomorrow evening which could result further flooding of the railway at certain key locations. As a result customers are advised to complete journeys tomorrow by 1900.
 
Tickets dated for today (Mon 25) can be tomorrow and on Wednesday 27 Nov, or customers can claim a full fee-free refund. For the latest information and to check journeys, customers should visit www.gwr.com/check.
 
Thank you for your patience and support, and if there’s anything we do to help, please do get in touch.

Flooding is still blocking the line between Bedwyn and Taunton, meaning there are no long-distance services between Devon & Cornwall and London

With "once in a century" floods now occurring every few years, and a reasonable expectation that this will get worse and not better, the railway needs to get better prepared. Or in more detail-

When a new bridge is required over a rail line, at LEAST one meter EXTRA clearance should be provided under the bridge in order that the track can be raised in future without altering the bridge.

When a platform is being worked on or replaced, it should be raised by the maximum permitted height relative to the train, in order that the track can be later raised without altering the platform.

New or refurbished station buildings should be designed to be flood resistant, hard floor and wall coverings that can be pressure washed rather than replaced after a flood. High level electrics. High level shelfs upon which can be placed IT equipment and other valuables when flooding threatens.

Substations for traction or domestic purposes to be located on plinths a meter above the worst previous flood.

When a platform is being worked on or replaced, it should be raised by the maximum permitted height relative to the train, in order that the track can be later raised without altering the platform.

We promised to keep you updated as the impact of Storm Bert continues to be felt.
 
While most lines have now reopened, both the Barnstaple and Okehampton branch lines remain closed and are likely to remain so until at least Thursday 28 Nov. High water levels in the River Yeo to the north of Crediton means Network Rail divers aren’t yet able to ascertain the damage to a rail bridge over the river, so the lines remain closed.
 
We are operating a rail shuttle service from Exeter St Davids to Crediton, and a limited rail replacement service between Exeter and Barnstaple/Okehampton. These taxis/buses will run directly between Exeter and Barnstaple/Okehampton respectively and will not call at any intermediate stations, including Crediton. We also have ticket acceptance on certain local bus routes; more information can be found at www.gwr.com/check.
 
The line between Bristol Parkway and Swindon also remains closed due to flooding. As a result our South Wales-London service is reduced to an hourly frequency, and continues to run on a diversionary route adding around 45 minutes to journey times. Similarly we expect this to remain in place until Thursday 28 Nov at the earliest.
 
Tickets dated for travel today can be used tomorrow (Weds 27 Nov). There is also heavy rain forecast overnight this evening into tomorrow and with water levels already very high there is the chance for further disruption, so we’re advising customers to check before they travel at www.gwr.com/check, or through our social media accounts at www.x.com/gwrhelp and www.x.com/networkrailwest.
 
As ever if there’s anything we can do to help, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

From GWR a couple of hours ago (dusk on 26th November)

A newly-named storm, Conall, is forecast to bring heavy rain to southern England and threaten further issues in flood-hit areas still cleaning up from Storm Bert.

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for rainfall in several southern areas of the UK from 22:00 GMT on Tuesday until midday on Wednesday.

Many parts of England and Wales will also see wet conditions overnight, though the worst of the storm will not hit the UK.

The storm was named by the Dutch Weather Service, which along with the Met Office and Met Eireann in Ireland, name storms for ease of communication.

BBC Weather's Tomasz Schafernaker said Conall would still be developing as it tracked across southern parts of the UK, meaning "the worst of the storm is expected to miss us".  He said the rain would be "initially quite heavy", before moving east throughout the night.

The heaviest rainfall is expected near the south coast of England and in the far southeast, with 15-20mm and possibly 30-40mm of rain forecast.  These areas did not receive the same heavy rainfall from Storm Bert as some other parts of England and Wales.

Flood-hit areas, which could see some rainfall overnight, are very sensitive to any more rain.  And while there will not be much, typically 5-15mm, it could cause more issues.



On Wednesday, the rain band is expected to curl back, with Lincolnshire, the Peak District and the Midlands likely to experience wet conditions, Schafernaker said.

Coastal areas of Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Kent could also feel "near gale force" winds.  In the north, frost is expected in Scotland and the Lake District.

Heavy rainfall and strong winds brought by Storm Bert over the weekend led to at least five deaths, while homes, roads and rail networks faced major disruption.  Many communities are still cleaning up after homes and businesses were inundated by floodwater.

Conall is the third "named" storm of the season, after Ashley and Bert.

The storms list - first launched in 2015 - for each year generally runs from early September until late August the following year, coinciding with the beginning of autumn.

We understand that in times of extreme weather and high river levels some trains have to be cancelled,  but it would be a real help to us if you could run almost all of the trains that are in your timetable please once this unusual weather event has passed. Thank you

From GWR a couple of hours ago (dusk on 26th November)

This is almost rubbing salt into an open wound, but if you have a spare 3 hours in the day you might like to watch the video and marvel at how the Norwegian railways cope with bad weather.

It gets particularly spicy about 1hr 40min. Just try to picture an IEP running in the same conditions.

https://youtu.be/JvDjZRR9LAg?si=e7nt4ohYCEMI1Ta-

Storm Conall brings more rain as it passes over UK

Storm Conall has brought another day of rain to southern England, causing disruptions including cancellations of train services.

There are currently 75 flood warnings in England with flood-hit areas still recovering from the days of downpours during Storm Bert.

The new storm broght fewer issues as it passed over southern England on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, because it was forecast to strengthen as it moved towards the Netherlands.

The number of flood warnings is expected to continue dropping as the flood-hit areas will see drier weather over the next few days.

As Storm Conall passed over England, nearly 50mm of rain fell on Dartmoor and 20-30mm in some other parts of southern England.

But many of the areas that were flooded during Storm Bert saw less rain with totals at around 3mm-8mm, so further problems were averted.  The rain was linked to a developing area of low pressure crossing west to east across southern England.  The upcoming days will see higher pressure, which will bring dry weather across flooded areas, allowing time for the flood water to disappear.

In parts of south-east England, trains were cancelled along three routes due to flooded tracks, while five other routes were facing disruption on Wednesday morning.

Gatwick Express trains will continue to see delays and cancellations into the evening, with the service advising commuters who use the service to start return journeys as soon as possible due to disruptions.

Thameslink passengers travelling to Welwyn Garden City have been advised to use alternate routes due to some suspended services, while others are still reduced.

...



Heavy rainfall and strong winds brought by Storm Bert over the weekend led to at least five deaths, while homes, roads and rail networks faced major disruption.

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