Flood water

The main East Coast line from Edinburgh to Berwick was blocked at Cockburnspath and Grantshouse by flood water, which washed away part of an embankment, and by the collapse of about 300 tons of rubble on to the track.

During the day conditions worsened quickly—for example, a 2-6-0 on the Uckfield line suddenly encountered flood water high enough to enter its ashpan and extinguish its fire—until lock gates up-river at Barcombe gave way and a tidal wave rolled down the valley meeting head-on a spring tide rolling up from the coast.

He added: "We're also working with freight companies about keeping freight running through flood water. But equally, the freight companies are saying we don't want to run though much water because of damage to our fleet. "Likewise with operators, we have to test what it is that is stopping trains running. Is it our failure to reasonably manage flood water? Is it the rule book that stops us running through flood water? Or is it risk appetite?"