Widespread damage as Storm Amy ‘hit harder’ than expected

There is widespread damage and more than 60,000 homes without power after Storm Amy swept across Scotland overnight.

Network Rail said the high winds hit “much harder and more quickly” than expected, with fallen trees, flooding and debris blocking lines across the country.

Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) said it was working to reconnect properties, but warned that work could be impacted by continuing high winds.

An amber weather warning remains in place until 21:00 in the north of Scotland, while a wider yellow warning extends to northern England and parts of Wales until midnight.

Network Rail Scotland said there were more than 60 incidents during the first two hours of the storm on Friday evening.

Gusts of 96 mph were recorded on the Island of Tiree at the peak of the storm.

ScotRail has cancelled all services out of Glasgow Central until “at least lunchtime”.

It said there were about 80 trees brought down on lines and engineers were checking routes before resuming services.

SSEN said power had been restored to 16,500 homes but warned further weather disruption was expected later.

In Glasgow city centre part of the Broomielaw was closed when a derelict building collapsed at about 18:00 on Friday.

In Inverness a large shop front sign was blown off at Inshes Retail Park.

In Aberdeenshire, about a dozen passengers were stranded on a train that hit a tree on the line from Inverurie to Aberdeen on Friday evening. No-one was injured.

Several flights and ferry services were cancelled, while some road bridges are either closed or have restrictions on high-sided vehicles.

A number of ferry crossings between Cairnryan, in Dumfries and Galloway, and Northern Ireland were cancelled.

The junior and mini Great Scottish Run in Glasgow, due to take place later, have been cancelled due to the weather warning.

Organisers said the strong winds and rain would create a risk of debris for the event on Glasgow Green.

Transport disruption:

• Train services are cancelled from Mallaig – Fort William, Fort William – Crianlarich, Crianlarich – Oban, Inverness – Aberdeen, Inverness – Wick / Thurso, Inverness – Kyle of Lochalsh, Perth – Inverness.
• All services from Glasgow Central have been suspended until “at least lunch time”.
• Traffic at the Rest and Be Thankful in Argyll has been diverted on to the Old Military Road. Traffic Scotland said it was monitoring conditions.
• Delays and cancellations expected on CalMac’s west coast ferry network. It has asked passengers to check its website for updates.
• Ferry crossings between Cairnryan and Northern Ireland have been cancelled.
• Forth Road Bridge was closed to all vehicles, while other bridges may have restrictions on high-sided vehicles.