RAIL services went into meltdown yesterday with all but a handful of ScotRail services cancelled due to the weather warnings.

The train operator, run by Dutch company Abellio, resumed limited services mid-afternoon yesterday after axing all but four train journeys across Scotland.

There were no ScotRail services running from Glasgow for most of the day with the only trains being run between Aberdeen and Inverness and Dundee, as well as Inverness to Perth and Kyle of Lochalsh and Wick, but it had advised customers not to travel at all.

Virgin Trains said services to and from Edinburgh were to be cancelled for the entire day. CrossCountry services were suspended between Edinburgh and Glasgow, as well as Newcastle. No trains or replacement bus services were understood to be running.

The relentless snow also meant most buses in the Central Belt were cancelled, although the Glasgow Subway and Edinburgh trams were running.

First Glasgow, Lothian Buses and McGill’s all released statements saying no services would be running.

The Herald:

(Picture credit: Kirsty Anderson)

ScotRail announced on Wednesday all services would be stopped until at least “late morning” due to the extreme weather conditions.

Staff had fought to keep services running in the face of the Siberian storm. Network Rail, who own and operate the tracks and rail infrastructure, called in workers, with teams said to have been working around the clock to clear points. Snow clearing locomotives were running and “chainsaw teams” were on standby to support.

ScotRail managing director Alex Hynes said: “It is extremely challenging weather conditions and the most important thing is to guarantee the safety of both our customers and our staff.”