Storm Bram causes travel disruption on trains, boats, and planes

Storm Bram has left thousands of travelers stranded in unexpected locations as it continues to impact the UK. The storm, which began on Tuesday, has caused widespread disruption across the country, affecting travel by sea, rail, and air.

Weather Warnings and Ferry Disruptions

The Met Office has issued yellow weather warnings for all of Scotland except the far south in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. These warnings highlight the ongoing threat of strong winds and heavy rain.

Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferries, which serve the Western Isles, are experiencing significant disruptions. All sailings in the area are affected, with some routes completely cancelled for the day. Specifically:

• Ferries linking Oban with Barra, Islay, and South Uist are all staying in port.
• The 7am and 2pm sailings from Stornoway in Lewis to Ullapool are both cancelled, as is the 10:30am sailing out from the mainland to Lewis – with the 5:30pm sailing in doubt.
• Other CalMac ferries are subject to delays and rescheduling.

Northlink ferries between Scrabster and Stromness in Orkney are also being rescheduled on Wednesday morning, with cancellations expected during the afternoon when wind speeds will be at their highest. Additionally, the overnight sailing from Aberdeen to Lerwick in Shetland could be delayed by up to two hours.

Rail Disruptions

ScotRail services on the West Highland line, connecting Mallaig, Oban, and Fort William with Glasgow, are facing significant disruption. Many earlier services have been cancelled, and passengers have been advised that tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday can be used up to Thursday, 11 December.

In southwest England, the Great Western line from Truro to Penzance is disrupted due to flooding. No trains can run between St Erth and Penzance, but the line is expected to reopen on Wednesday afternoon. Floods have also closed the link between the main line at Par and Newquay for the morning.

Lines in central and north Wales are also affected, with Blaenau Ffestiniog station temporarily closed.

Air Travel Chaos

British Airways has cancelled the first three flights from Edinburgh to London City Airport, a continuation of the disruptions experienced on Tuesday. On that day, Aer Lingus and its sister airline, British Airways, cancelled dozens of flights, with some aircraft diverting or returning to their starting points due to high winds.

Belfast City Airport was the worst affected in the UK on Tuesday, with 27 flight cancellations. One British Airways flight from Heathrow took a 2h15m "flight to nowhere" before returning to its starting point after a missed approach.

One flight that eventually landed was an Aer Lingus Regional service from Manchester. The ATR72 aircraft circled for half an hour above the Irish Sea, made one aborted approach, and then flew a holding pattern for an additional hour before landing successfully two-and-a-half hours after departing Manchester. This 171-mile journey normally takes just 45 minutes.

Glasgow passengers also faced challenges, with several diversions occurring throughout the afternoon and evening. Ryanair flights from Krakow and Alicante landed in Manchester, as did a Jet2 service from Lanzarote.

Three flights from the London area to Glasgow were affected:

• A easyJet flight from Luton and a British Airways flight from Heathrow ended up in Newcastle.
• A BA service from London City flew back to where it started.

Ferry Services Across the Irish Sea

Ferries on the Irish Sea mostly stayed in port. P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries, and Stena Line have cancelled their daytime crossings linking Ireland and Northern Ireland with Wales and Scotland.