Trains and flights axed as tail end of storm hits

Early morning disruption across country’s transport network

More than 100 trains were cancelled and roads were closed after Tayside and Fife was hit by the tail end of Storm Ophelia yesterday morning.

The former tropical hurricane hit Scotland in the early hours and caused disruption across the transport network, with flights from Scottish airports to Belfast and Dublin called off.

Trains across the east coast were delayed or cancelled after a tree came down on the line near Markinch at 4.30am, with roads across Fife also affected by blockages.

The Forth Road Bridge and Queensferry Crossing were both shut to double decker buses during the morning rush hour because of the high winds.

The weather also closed the Tay Road Bridge to double deckers, with a 30mph speed limit put in place, and drivers were urged to be cautious going across the Friarton Bridge near Perth.

In Angus a power cut at just after 9am left five homes in Kirriemuir without power. They were reconnected by about 11.15am.

Last night a Network Rail spokesman said: “This morning’s disruption through Fife was caused by an engineering train becoming disabled after striking a fallen tree at around 4.30am.

“Engineers had to recover the damaged train with another locomotive and our maintenance staff then had to cut back a dangerous tree before we could run a service through Fife.

“The engineering train was moved into sidings at 8.55am, but over 100 trains were cancelled as a result.”

However, by and large Courier Country missed out on the worst of ex-hurricane Ophelia, which brought widespread destruction across Ireland earlier this week.

Three people were killed in the country on Monday with winds speeds of almost 120mph recorded on the Irish south coast at Fastnet Rock.

Ophelia moved into the North Sea yesterday afternoon.

Met Office meteorologist Emma Sharples said: “The centre of ex-hurricane Ophelia is between us and Scandinavia in the North Sea. It is weakening quite rapidly now.”

The highest wind speed recorded was in Aberdaron, Wales, at 90mph.

The strongest gusts in Scotland were 76mph in Dundrennan, Dumfries and Galloway, and 71mph in Lanarkshire.

bdingwall@thecourier.co.uk

Picture: SWNS. Rail workers clear branches from the tracks near Markinch where a freight train hit a fallen tree.