Media centre

Friday 3 Jan 2014

Severe weather affects rail services on the Cumbrian coast line

Region & Route:

Rail services are not operating on the Cumbrian coast line due to the significant damage caused by the storm and flooding which has affected the west coast of the UK today (See below for video footage).

The Cumbrian coast line has suffered damage at multiple locations:

• Sea defences and retaining walls have been washed away at several locations between Sellafield and Maryport
• 120 yards of track washed away at Flimby
• Lineside equipment and 600 yards of ballast washed away at Parton
• Kirkby-in-Furness station flooded plus damage to lineside equipment
• Braystones station completely flooded
• Debris on the railway at multiple locations

To allow Network Rail to repair the widespread damage to the rail infrastructure, rail services are not operating between Barrow and Carlisle as Network Rail engineers firstly assess then start the huge task of repairing the widespread damage to the railway. Northern Rail will be operating replacement bus services.

Martin Frobisher, Network Rail area director said: The storm and subsequent flooding has caused significant damage to the railway along the Cumbrian coast and our people will be working throughout the weekend to firstly assess the damage and then start work to repair our sea defences, track, replace equipment and remove debris from the line. We are sorry for the disruption this causes to passengers and we will be doing everything we can to reopen the line as early as we can.”