'Freak' flash floods swamp subway and lifts at Preston railway station

Passengers have been warned about urgent repairs to Preston station's lifts and subway after they were damaged by freak flash flooding.
By Sean Gleaves
Published 14th Jul 2021, 16:23 BST
Updated 14th Jul 2021, 16:45 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

"Intense rainfall" at platform level made its way into the subway on Monday evening (July 12), affecting four station lifts.

Engineers are now working to pump out the remaining water and clear the debris so urgent repairs can be made to the lift mechanisms

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Network Rail said they aim to get the lifts back in action within the next week as a priority for passengers needing level access to platforms.

Passengers are being advised about urgent repairs to Preston station’s lifts and subway after they were damaged by freak flash flooding. (Credit: Network Rail)Passengers are being advised about urgent repairs to Preston station’s lifts and subway after they were damaged by freak flash flooding. (Credit: Network Rail)
Passengers are being advised about urgent repairs to Preston station’s lifts and subway after they were damaged by freak flash flooding. (Credit: Network Rail)

Step-free access is still available to Preston's platforms using ramps in the second station subway.

Robert Ellams, Senior Asset Engineer for Network Rail, said: "We are very sorry for the inconvenience caused to passengers while we get the lifts at Preston station back up to full working order after heavy rainfall this week.

"I'd urge people to plan their journeys with their train operator while we carry out these urgent and complex repairs to better protect the lifts from freak incidents like this and make them more reliable for passengers in the future."

Read More
Major changes planned to Lancashire bus services
Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Shirley Ross, Avanti West Coast station manager at Preston, advised customers travelling to and from Preston to plan ahead, check before they travel and leave extra time for their journey.

She added: "We are working closely with Network Rail and industry partners to help customers as urgent repairs to the lifts at Preston station are carried out.

"We would like to thank customers for their patience while Network Rail get the lifts back to full working order."

During the lift closures, rail travellers who need lift access are advised to speak to station staff or contact their train operator's Passenger Assistance team:

Avanti West Coast's Passenger Assist team - 08000 158 123

Northern's Passenger Assist team - 0800 138 5560

TransPennine Express' Passenger Assist team - 0800 107 2149

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Click HERE for more information on how Network Rail deals with flooding.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking HERE.

Related topics:Network RailPrestonEngineers

Comment Guidelines

National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.