Tree falls on train track amid travel disruption as snow and ice alert issued

Key Points

Fourth yellow weather warning issued for snow and ice across large parts of Scotland
A tree has blocked a railway line in Aberdeenshire causing journeys to be cancelled
Engineers delayed to remove tree due to heavy snow
‘Signalling fault’ at Lanark forces services to be delayed
Broken down train at Charing Cross causes rush hour trains into Glasgow to be affected

A tree is blocking a railway line in Aberdeenshire as a fourth yellow weather warning for snow and ice was issued for many parts of Scotland.

Passengers travelling on the line between Keith and Huntly are subject to journeys being cancelled, delayed or revised said ScotRail.

Network Rail said engineers tasked with removing the fallen tree are being delayed by heavy snow.

A fresh Met Office warning was issued on Wednesday for snow and ice across Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Highlands and Islands, Argyll and Bute and North Ayrshire.

Travel disruption is expected as the warning runs from 10am on Wednesday until midday on Thursday.

⚠️ NEW: Due to a tree blocking the railway between Keith and Huntly all lines are blocked.

Train services running through these stations will be cancelled, delayed or revised.

Staff are being arranged to make way to site to remove the tree. pic.twitter.com/9heSnZZdb6
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) November 20, 2024

ScotRail said ticket acceptance has been put on Stagecoach North buses on services between Inverness and Aberdeen, Inverness and Nairn and between Aberdeen and Dyce and Aberdeen and Inverurie.

A ScotRail post on X read: “Due to a tree blocking the railway between Keith and Huntly all lines are blocked.

“Train services running through these stations will be cancelled, delayed or revised.

“Staff are being arranged to make way to site to remove the tree.”

A Network Rail post read: “We’re responding to a report of a fallen tree blocking the railway between Keith and Huntly, on the Aberdeen-Inverness line.

“Our team are on their way, but heavy snow in the area is delaying their response. We’ll share an update soon.”

Travel disruption is also affecting western parts with a fault with the signalling system at Lanark closing all lines.

A broken down train at Charing Cross is also blocking journeys in and out of Glasgow Central.

ScotRail said on X: “Network Rail have informed us of a fault with the signalling system at Lanark.

“Train services between Lanark and Glasgow Central may be cancelled, delayed or revised.

“Ticket acceptance has been arranged on JMB service 41 between Lanark, Motherwell and Hamilton.”

National Rail said disruption is expected until at least 11am.

Fourth day of disruption across Scotland

On Tuesday, a bus overturned and blocked a road in Aberdeenshire as temperatures plunged

Gritters have been out in force amid weather warnings for snow and ice. The coldest temperature recorded overnight on Tuesday was -11.2C in Braemar.

A man also died following a crash involving three vehicles and a lorry on the A9 in Perth and Kinross.

We are still in autumn, as winter doesn’t officially begin until December 1.

The last time temperatures were lower than -10.8C at this time of year was in 2016 – before that the previous low was 2010, according to STV weather presenter Philip Petrie.