This article relates to Thursday. See here for Friday’s update.
Arriva Train Wales has cancelled trains through Ludlow for a second day. Unless you must travel, don’t try. The cancellations are a combination of the predicted severe weather during Storm Emma and urgent safety checks after a wheel fault was found overnight on Tuesday. It seems that all 27 trains in the Class 175 fleet have wheel damage. Replacement buses seem sporadic.
Yesterday, the advice from Arriva Train Wales was “don’t travel”. Today that has been downgraded to “severe delays”. Even so, journeys are going to be difficult if not impossible.
This it is not the weather to wait around anywhere. Temperatures will get warmer, beginning at -4C and rising to a heady -1C by midnight. But strong winds will mean that it will feel 5C or colder than that. There is a yellow weather warning in place worsening to an amber warning after 2pm.
Yesterday, there were no services through Ludlow. The replacement bus service began mid-morning yesterday but departure and arrival times seem to have been erratic.
Early morning trains from Ludlow (live updates)
Network Rail is conducting a survey of passengers’ experiences during the current disruption.
Yesterday, the rail companies issued the following press statement:
Bill Kelly, Chief Operating Officer, Network Rail and Bethan Jelfs, Customer Services Director, Arriva Trains Wales said:
“Network Rail and Arriva Trains Wales are carrying out essential safety checks on rail infrastructure and trains after inspections of the fleet revealed some damage to particular trains late last night. The majority of long-distance Arriva Trains Wales services operating in North Wales, West Wales and the Marches are currently suspended as a result. The safety of our customers and our people is a key priority, therefore our frontline staff are currently working hard in very difficult weather conditions to ensure thorough checks are undertaken across fleet and infrastructure.
“Some of our services will be operating with fewer carriages and additionally, given the worsening weather predicted over the next few days, we are advising customers to travel only if absolutely necessary and to ensure that they check www.arrivatrains.wales/check to see if their journey will be affected. We are working together to put in place alternative transport for our customers where possible, however, this will be very limited due to weather conditions and the number of services affected.
“We would like to apologise to anyone affected, we thank customers for their patience whilst we work to resolve this issue and remind them to check before they travel.
Town and rural buses are expected to run until the snow falls. But it is not a day for travelling far.