Thursday 8 Jan 2026
Railway teams prepare for Storm Goretti as passengers urged to plan ahead
- Region & Route:
- North West & Central
Network Rail teams across the North West are actively preparing for snow and ice by treating tracks and station surfaces and applying de-icer to points ahead of Storm Goretti.
The Met Office has issued amber weather warnings for snow, which begin from this evening (Thursday 8 January) and cover large areas of the North West and the Midlands. These conditions are expected to continue into Friday 9 January.
Passengers across the North West have been advised to check before they travel over the coming days as Storm Goretti is expected to bring heavy snow and strong winds. Anyone planning to travel in High Peak, where the worst of the weather is expected, should take extra care and plan their journey in advance as some routes will be closed.
Passengers travelling north from London Euston should also be aware that Avanti West Coast is operating fewer services from London to Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool.
Ross Davies, Network Rail’s North West operations director, said: “We are doing everything we can to prepare the railway for the impacts from Storm Goretti.
"I’d urge passengers to check before they travel as there is likely to be disruption to services during the extreme weather. The safety of passengers and colleagues will be at the heart of everything we do as we respond to this storm.”
Northern has warned that it will not be running services from around 5pm on Thursday until Saturday 10 January between the following locations:
- Buxton - Hazel Grove
- New Mills Central - Sheffield
- Guide Bridge - Glossop/Hadfield
Tricia Williams, managing director at Northern, said: “We have issued 'Do Not Travel' warnings on these three routes and are advising customers to check before they travel on other routes across our network and allow extra time for their journeys.
“We never do this without careful consideration and are working closely with Network Rail to prepare for the storm. We will be running services where it is safe to do so.”
For up-to-date travel information and detail on alternative travel please check www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Notes to Editors
- Snow and ice can make it difficult for trains to run safely. In very cold weather, snow and ice can build up on the tracks blocking points, the equipment that allows trains to move between tracks.
- Ice can coat the electrified third rail and overhead power cables, preventing trains from drawing the power they need to run and leaving them stranded. Icicles on tunnels, bridges and other structures can also damage trains and overhead power cables.
- Avanti West Coast will operate fewer services on some routes from 3pm on Thursday 8 January until 1pm on Friday 9 January with seven trains per hour from London Euston. As a result, services between Manchester and Birmingham will be reduced to two trains per hour, and only one train per hour will operate on the Liverpool route.
- Find out more about how we prepare the railway for winter weather: Preparing the railway for winter weather - Network Rail
- For up-to-date travel information and detail on alternative travel please check www.nationalrail.co.uk.
Contact information
Passengers / community members
Network Rail national helpline
03457 11 41 41
Latest travel advice
Please visit National Rail Enquiries
Journalists
Network Rail press office - North West & Central Region
0330 854 0100
NWCmediarelations@networkrail.co.uk
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