Trains cancelled and lines closed after thousands of gallons of water submerges tracks

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

The full extent of railway flooding after a water main burst has been captured in incredible drone footage. Network Rail filmed the situation from the skies, with the footage showing thousands of gallons of free-flowing water poring over track lines in and around Audenshaw, Tameside.

United Utilities, meanwhile, said in an update on Friday it was continuing to repair the burst main next to the railway at Audenshaw without disrupting water supplies to customers in the area.

The track cannot be re-opened until the water has drained away - with the situation continuing to impact train services between Manchester Piccadilly, Hadfield and Stalybridge.

Specialist drone teams from Network Rail have been surveying the tracks between Gorton and Guide Bridge after the burst early on Thursday. Trains running between Manchester Piccadilly to Leeds via Stalybridge and on the Glossop line are being impacted for a second day.

Disruption to some TransPennine Express services continues, and anyone travelling in or out of Manchester from Yorkshire is being advised by Network Rail to check before they travel. Replacement shuttle buses are running.

Railway engineers are assisting United Utilities with getting access to make its repairs to the pipe.

"This is being carefully planned so it can happen while allowing trains to run again at the same time the repair work takes place beside the tracks," Network Rail said.

It's understood the pipe concerned is connected to Audenshaw Reservoir.

Train services were cancelled in both directions on Thursday between Manchester Piccadilly, Rose Hill and Hadfield, which included Stalybridge and Leeds services via Guide Bridge. Flood waters first began covering the lines in the Fairfield area in the