Train delays as fallen trees block railway lines

23 August 2024

Oprah FlashBBC News, West Midlands

News image — Passengers have been warned to expect delays and cancellations

PA Media A West Midlands Railway train stationary at a station — Passengers have been warned to expect delays and cancellations

Fallen trees blocked railway lines across the West Midlands as strong winds caused by Storm Lilian hit the region.

Some services across the West Midlands were cancelled or delayed, with power lines damaged and trains forced to run at slower speeds, National Rail said.

Routes through Wolverhampton, Shrewsbury, Nuneaton, Birmingham, Crewe and Tamworth were among those affected, but disruption has since been resolved.

A Met Office yellow warning for winds in excess of 75mph was issued across parts of northern England, southern Scotland and Wales.

Dorota Kasprzak / Your Herefordshire A road blocked by a fallen tree — Drivers have been urged to avoid Aylestone Hill in Hereford due to a fallen tree

There were delays of up to 20 minutes between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury for West Midlands Railway passengers, while those travelling between Crewe and Stafford on CrossCountry trains faced 40-minute delays.

CrossCountry lines were blocked in Coleshill Parkway resulting in trains being either cancelled or diverted via an alternative route.

Replacement buses ran between Coleshill Parkway, Tamworth and Burton-upon-Trent, and also between Coleshill Parkway and Nuneaton, National Rail said.

Cancellations and delays were reported on CrossCountry trains between Birmingham New Street and Cheltenham Spa due to a blockage on the line.

A red tent in the air above two semi-detached houses — A tent was spotted on the roof of a home in Castlefields, Shrewsbury

Aylestone Hill in Hereford was shut after several trees damaged an electrical pole and exposed wiring on the road, West Mercia Police said.

Trees blocked New Road in Rubery and Wynall Lane in Stourbridge.

Forecasters warned that travel disruption was expected, with possible problems for drivers on the M6 motorway.

About 15 trees fell across Worcestershire as a result of Storm Lilian, the county council said.

In Shropshire, hundreds of homes were briefly left without power on Friday morning.

More than 360 homes near Shifnal experienced a power cut just after 07:00 BST while more than 700 properties near Rowton were also temporarily left without a supply.

By 12:00, the majority of the outages had been resolved by National Grid crews.