Train services cancelled as Storm Conall brings heavy rain

Trains have been cancelled in parts of southern England after heavy rainfall flooded railway lines during Storm Conall.

No trains are running between Tonbridge and Redhill, Ascot and Aldershot, and Ryde Esplanade and Ryde St Johns Road on the Isle of Wight, with National Rail also warning of disruption to services in parts of Wales and London.

It also warned there is disruption to services across other parts of England in the aftermath of Storm Bert over the weekend.

Southern Rail said it expected disruption to continue throughout the afternoon and evening, with rail replacement buses being secured for the Tonbridge line.

A yellow weather warning was in place until midday on Wednesday for parts of southern England.

Met Office spokesman Stephen Dixon said the highest rainfall was recorded on the Isle of Wight at 43.3mm from 10pm to 10am on Wednesday morning, with conditions expected to gradually get drier throughout the day and Thursday.

He added the storm is expected to strengthen as it passes the UK towards the Netherlands.

Almost 100 flood warnings are in place across the country, including one severe alert of danger to life for Billing Aquadrome holiday park and the surrounding parks next to the River Nene in Northampton.

More than 150 alerts for possible flooding have been issued, including across the south, the Midlands and the Upper River Ouse in North Yorkshire.

Map of England and Wales showing area under weather warning
(PA Graphics)

Among the flooded areas, Emsworth in Hampshire has recorded a water level in the West Brook as “high and rising rapidly”, with heavy rain expected to reach nearly 40mm on Wednesday.

Residents are being urged to put flood protections in place until Thursday morning and teams are travelling to the site to clear debris from the area.

Highways teams in West Sussex said they attended a series of overnight flooding reports, while in Kent staff are responding to multiple weather-related issues across the network, after attending more than 200 emergency tree call outs over Storm Bert.

It comes as the Met Office warned up to 50mm could fall across the Isle of Wight, Sussex and Kent.

It comes just days after Storm Bert left hundreds of homes flooded, turned roads into rivers and saw winds of more than 80mph.

Storm Conall is the third of the season and was named by the Dutch Weather Service, which along with the Met Office and Met Eireann in Ireland name storms so communication about severe weather is easier.