Loud explosions can be heard as the tree caught fire
This is the dramatic moment a tree fell onto overhead railway lines and caught fire during Storm Dave, blocking a major Greater Manchester route. Trains between Manchester, Bolton, Blackpool and Preston were cancelled following the blaze last night.
The Retreat, a restaurant in Adlington, Lancs, which backs onto the railway line, posted footage of the incident. In it a tree can be seen on fire before two loud explosions are heard.
They wrote: “We’re sorry for cancelling all the trains on the Blackpool North line through to Manchester tonight…. One of our trees has been ‘Dave’d’ on to the overhead power cables.”
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Services were halted for around four hours until 3am. At around 10.30am today the route was once again closed due to damage to the overhead lines, causing major disruption for passengers.
It’s not known at this stage if the most recent closure is linked to last night’s fire. In a statement Network Rail said: “Damage to the overhead electric wires between Bolton and Preston via Chorley means all lines are blocked. Trains running between these stations may be cancelled, delayed by up to 60 minutes or revised.”
Disruption is expected until 2.30pm. Storm Dave swept in on Saturday and an amber wind warning covering parts of northern England, north-west Wales and southern Scotland was in place until 3am today.
Three yellow weather warnings were lifted early as it pulled away. But the storm caused road closures and train disruptions early on Sunday morning (April 5). Network Rail Manchester announced rail replacement bus services would run between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester due to an ‘obstruction’ on the track.
