A dramatic video shows how a tree uprooted by Storm Dudley sizzles like a sausage when it crashes into a high-voltage powerline.
In the clip, shared by Network Rail Scotland on Thursday (February 17) the fallen fir tree is resting on a 25kV overhead line that powers the railway tracks.
The line suddenly buzzes and then there is a fiery explosion all along the tree truck followed by a zapping sound as one of the overhead cables starts violently shaking.
Bits of the tree fall to the ground as an engineer in the background shouts out in shock.
Network Rail Scotland explained that a tree fell on the overhead wires at Beattock, north of Lockerbie on the West Coast Mainline.
(Image: @NetworkRailSCOT/Twitter)
At around 2pm, it announced engineers had discovered eight trees had fallen over onto the railway and it would take until 9pm to fix the damage.
It said on Twitter: “Sorry if your journey’s been disrupted. We’ll get passenger and freight services moving again ASAP.”
This comes after the tragic news that Storm Dudley has killed 13 dogs, some of whom were just puppies, when a powerline came down on top of a kennel.
(Image: @NetworkRailSCOT/Twitter)
Announcing the sad news on social media, Cuckavalda Gundogs in North Yorkshire said: “There will not be a #FridayFavourite this week as we remember Cockers: Troy, Olive Labradors: Guy, Goldie, Port, Dill, Dora, Rick, Cora, Polly, Tilly, Ivy, Rose.
“RIP you beautiful creatures – all taken far too young – Aged between 7 months and 6 years”.
Storm Dudley also left thousands of homes without any power and wind speeds reached 74mph in Yorkshire with gusts of 81mph in Wales.
There are fears Storm Eunice, arriving on Friday, will be even more dangerous and Cornwall has a red “danger to life” weather warning while large areas of the UK are under yellow and amber warnings.
British people have been urged to stay indoors in what might be the worst storm for 30 years and “resist the urge to take selfies”.