Gales and flash floods disrupt travel across country

Published on Tuesday 7 September 2010 17:36

A SCOTRAIL train hit a fallen tree yesterday as strong winds and heavy rain caused flash flooding and hit travel across Scotland.

• An upturned boat sits in the harbour at St Monans as a huge wave crashes over the sea wall Picture: George McLuskie

The incident, near Dunkeld at 7:50am, delayed services on the Perth-Inverness line for two hours. None of the three passengers on board was hurt but a cab window was broken.

Trains were also held up for 40 minutes by tree on the Glasgow-Oban line at Dalmally.

On the roads, a fallen tree partially closed the A827 in Aberfeldy, Perthshire.

There was flash flooding in Dundee city centre, with some buildings evacuated. Double decker buses were banned from the Tay Road Bridge and its speed limit was cut to 30mph.

At least one boat sank in St Monans harbour in Fife after being engulfed by gale-force winds and high tides.

Ferries were also disrupted, with a CalMac vessel from Oban forced to turn back after being unable to dock at Colonsay.

In Orkney, the Kirkwall-North Ronaldsay/Papa Westray ferry was cancelled and a yacht ran aground off South Ronaldsay.

NorthLink sailings between Aberdeen and Shetland were delayed. Flood watches were in force last night for rivers in 15 areas across Scotland.