Storm Eowyn Disruption - 24/1/25

[bib]

A couple of days out, but it's looking like Friday will be pretty windy anywhere north of the Midlands. Plenty of time for the details to change but potentially the central belt of Scotland might be worst hit (apart from Ireland and NI), currently forecasting 70-80mph gusts throughout Friday morning rush hour and through to lunchtime. Would expect lots of cancellations and delays if it plays out. National rail has an adivsory up already. Amber weather warning just issued by the Met Office.

Incident: Storm Éowyn | National Rail

Severe weather may affect your journey today. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Storm Éowyn may affect your journey on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 January​

 

[trainophile]

Well it’s already cost me £32 in tickets plus two days non-refundable hotel, as I’m travelling home from Devon today instead of risking it on Friday. (Thanks to Trainsplit or it would have cost a lot more.)

I am beginning to think it’s not wise to pre-book anything related to travel these days.

 

[Horizon22]

I am beginning to think it’s not wise to pre-book anything related to travel these days.

Why? There's not 70-80mph gusts predicted every day. Fair warning about disruption is better than people expecting normality and running into serious issues.

 

[trainophile]

P.s. Did we only have four named storms last year? I thought they started with A again in a new year but it seems not.

 

[Horizon22]

P.s. Did we only have four named storms last year? I thought they started with A again in a new year but it seems not.

The list runs September to August the following year - https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/warnings-and-advice/uk-storm-centre/index

When do we announce new storm names?​

Since Name our Storms first launched in 2015 we have issued a new list of names each September. The list runs from early September to late August the following year, to coincide with the start of autumn and the end of summer, when we see the likelihood of low-pressure systems and the potential for named storms increase.

 

[John Luxton]

Well it’s already cost me £32 in tickets plus two days non-refundable hotel, as I’m travelling home from Devon today instead of risking it on Friday. (Thanks to Trainsplit or it would have cost a lot more.)

I am beginning to think it’s not wise to pre-book anything related to travel these days.

I always tend to book hotels at the flexible rates. Costs a bit more but have probably saved a bit by being able to cancel and then rebook and I have not lost the trip.

The thought of a hotel pocketing the advance payment irks me should weather or other circumstances get in the way and as some of my trips involve sea crossings I am even more wary.

However, I do think if Amber or Red weather warnings are issued hotels should be made to offer a minimum of a free transfer if not actually a refund.

 

[Smidster]

Well this is going to be "fun"

Have ticket from Keighley to Glasgow (via Carlisle) on Friday for a commitment on Sunday / Monday (had planned the extra day to look round)

Feels very little chance of Friday happening...Hopefully Saturday is better...though means losing a day on my hotel.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I always tend to book hotels at the flexible rates. Costs a bit more but have probably saved a bit by being able to cancel and then rebook and I have not lost the trip.

I've binned off any travel plans for this Friday in view of the widely forecast bad weather. By the way, what tends to be the extra that needs paying in order to avail oneself of a "flexible" hotel booking?

 

[Tilting007]

On WCML no trains north of Preston between 0300 - 1800 Friday.

 

[waverley47]

Given how quickly the projections for the low are deepening, it looks like this is going to be a violent one.

It's projected to develop, move two thirds of the way across the Atlantic, and drop 50mb of pressure in 36 hours. That's impressive.

Projections for the lowest pressure over the UK are dipping quickly as well, with minimum expected pressure going from 965mb to 950mb in the last hour.

I guess we're going to expect significant rainfall and wind speeds across the north and the central belt, and all the joys that comes with it.

 

[Peterthegreat]

Details been worked on but am hearing no services on WCML, S & C and Cumbrian coast from 03.00 Friday to 12.00 Saturday.
Also ECML closed north of Newcastle 11.00 to 19.00 on Friday.

 

[TheWierdOne]

Anyone in the know about likely services on the GWML? I’m supposed to be travelling to Gerrard’s Cross on Friday (approx 12:00 departure from Cardiff to London) to catch a coach across the Channel (Dover-Calais) in the evening

 

[30907]

Anyone in the know about likely services on the GWML? I’m supposed to be travelling to Gerrard’s Cross on Friday (approx 12:00 departure from Cardiff to London) to catch a coach across the Channel (Dover-Calais) in the evening

Not in the know, but you aren't in the Amber warning area, so shouldn't be too bad.

 

[Snow1964]

It looks like Eowyn will mainly affect North Wales, North West England and Scotland on Friday, which gusts of (only) 40-60mph down South.

However there is a deepening secondary low pressure area (could it become storm Floris ?) which might be bad for south west and central southern England on Monday.

It is odd that some (in more southern parts) have mentioned Friday, but are not choosing to comment on Monday which is likely to be worse in the South

 

[Mcr Warrior]

This is a pic of the forecast Amber weather warning area for much of the day, this coming Friday (24th January 2025). Area impacted extends from Central Scotland to North Wales and over to Yorkshire Coast. Also Northern Ireland. (Source: Met Office).

 

[rg177]

I'm theoretically flying out of Newcastle Airport on Friday afternoon. I suspect that might be a bit ambitious - though thankfully we aren't due much rain, just the vicious winds more than anything.

 

[trainophile]

I always tend to book hotels at the flexible rates. Costs a bit more but have probably saved a bit by being able to cancel and then rebook and I have not lost the trip.

The thought of a hotel pocketing the advance payment irks me should weather or other circumstances get in the way and as some of my trips involve sea crossings I am even more wary.

However, I do think if Amber or Red weather warnings are issued hotels should be made to offer a minimum of a free transfer if not actually a refund.

Ironically I did book the refundable rate, via booking.com last January after checking out from last year’s stay in the same hotel. At that time with the strikes unresolved I always booked cancellable hotels. However the policy is apparently 48 hours notice for any sort of refund.

I should have popped down to reception last night when I first heard about the storm, might have got one day back, but I was too busy finding train tickets! Never mind, nearly home now, and I would only have been stressing if I’d stayed.

 

[Banham7]

LNER has stated that there will be NO services north of Newcastle from 11am on Friday, and a do not travel notice has been issued for customers wanting to travel north of York.

The Met Office has issued multiple weather warnings for high winds across the UK on Friday 24 January. The arrival of Storm Éowyn is expected to cause widespread disruption across the rail network.

There will no trains operating north of Newcastle in either direction from 11.00 on Friday 24 January. Trains are still showing in Journey Planners as we work to amend our timetable. Services north of York will also be subject to short-notice cancellation and significant delay. Alternative travel options will be limited due to the nature of the weather.

As a result, we are advising customers not to travel to and from stations north of York on Friday 24 January.

https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-now/travel-alerts/

 

[startingaparty]

What's the likelihood of Northern issuing a 'DO NOT TRAVEL' warning on Friday? I need to know if I need to inform my employer I might have trouble getting into the office and this would help.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What's the likelihood of Northern issuing a 'DO NOT TRAVEL' warning on Friday? I need to know if I need to inform my employer I might have trouble getting into the office and this would help.

Which part of the Northern network are you travelling on?

 

[Banham7]

TPE have issued a do not travel notice for:
- Manchester/Liverpool - Scotland
- York, Newcastle & Edinburgh

Services which we are able to operate across the rest of the TransPennine Express network will run to an amended timetable and may be subject to significant disruption with short notice delays, alterations and cancellations all possible.

https://www.tpexpress.co.uk/travel-updates

 

[ChrisC]

I’ve been in London since Monday and I’m due to travel back to Nottingham on Friday morning. At the moment it’s not looking like anything over 50mph winds for London or Nottinghamshire so I’m still hoping the MML will be ok on Friday. If the predictions get any worse I will travel home tomorrow afternoon instead as I have a flexible train ticket. I will probably lose my last night hotel money as it will be under the 24 hours for cancellation but I’d rather have that than a stressful journey home.

 

[Bill57p9]

I’m flying away for work tomorrow, due to land back in Glasgow at 1915 on Friday. I don’t rate my chances of getting home on time very highly…

 

[Narrowgauge725]

LNER have do not travel north of York too

 

[Elorith]

Details been worked on but am hearing no services on WCML, S & C and Cumbrian coast from 03.00 Friday to 12.00 Saturday.
Also ECML closed north of Newcastle 11.00 to 19.00 on Friday.

S&C, Cumbrian Coast, Morecambe to Lancaster, Oxenholme to Windermere, are all blocked 0300 to 1200.

WCML will be blocked 0300 to 2200 PRE - CAR.

 

[kez19]

LNER has stated that there will be NO services north of Newcastle from 11am on Friday, and a do not travel notice has been issued for customers wanting to travel north of York.


https://www.lner.co.uk/travel-information/travelling-now/travel-alerts/

I’m in Newcastle and my LNER is the Aberdeen bound, I seem to just make it, I be surprised if I’ll be speed restricted in places as I head back (0845 from Newcastle on Friday)

 

[startingaparty]

Which part of the Northern network are you travelling on?

Between Manchester Piccadilly and Blackpool North.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

According to the largely reliable Met Office website, the forecast for Newcastle is for light winds Thursday and Saturday, either side of a brief period of stronger winds on Friday which, even at their height, should average no more than 35 mph.

Newcastle Upon Tyne (Newcastle upon Tyne) weather

Newcastle Upon Tyne 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV

weather.metoffice.gov.uk

I wonder why news channels are so fixated on gust speed rather than average speed, perhaps because it allows them to publish more hysterical weather stories?

As with previous so-called storms, it's very disappointing that TOCs seem to issue "DO NOT TRAVEL" warnings at the drop of a hat when it would be far more sensible to say "travel if you like, we'll run the best service we can but be prepared for some disruption".

 

[ainsworth74]

What's the likelihood of Northern issuing a 'DO NOT TRAVEL' warning on Friday? I need to know if I need to inform my employer I might have trouble getting into the office and this would help.

Northern's list appears to be:

Severe weather warning

Northern | Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Check Train Times

www.northernrailway.co.uk

DO NOT TRAVEL​

• Oxenholme to Windermere (Windermere branch)
• Barrow – Carlisle (Cumbrian Coast)
• Settle - Carlisle
• Barrow/Windermere – Manchester Airport
• Carlisle – Barrow/Lancaster
• Morecambe Heysham Port – Lancaster
• Blackpool North to York (from Bradford to Blackpool)
• Wigan to Leeds
• Manchester Victoria to Leeds
• Huddersfield – Sheffield – (Penistone Line )
• Hebden Bridge - Halifax (calder valley)
• Leeds-Nottingham
• Newcastle-Carlisle
• Ashington – Newcastle (Northumberland line)

Advise against travel​

On the below routes there will be large gaps in services or the route will only be partially served. We strongly advise you do not travel on these routes.

• Leeds-Lincoln – will operate Sheffield-Lincoln only
• Sheffield–Scarborough – Will operate Hull-Scarborough only
• York-Bridlington – will operate Hull-Bridlington only
• Leeds-Knottingley
• York-Blackpool North – Will operate Bradford International-York only
• Leeds-Harrogate
• Leeds - Chester - will operate between Chester and Manchester Victoria

 

[Narrowgauge725]

According to the largely reliable Met Office website, the forecast for Newcastle is for light winds Thursday and Saturday, either side of a brief period of stronger winds on Friday which, even at their height, should average no more than 35 mph.

Newcastle Upon Tyne (Newcastle upon Tyne) weather

Newcastle Upon Tyne 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV

weather.metoffice.gov.uk

I wonder why news channels are so fixated on gust speed rather than average speed, perhaps because it allows them to publish more hysterical weather stories?

As with previous so-called storms, it's very disappointing that TOCs seem to issue "DO NOT TRAVEL" warnings at the drop of a hat when it would be far more sensible to say "travel if you like, we'll run the best service we can but be prepared for some disruption".

It is gusts that causes the problems also it is travel north of Newcastle see below for predicted winds which are in the 70s.