And today the weather forecast for Argyll seems also to be delivering what it promised – or threatened.
The rain has turned to snow.and, with calm wind conditions, dense snow is falling verically and lying. This may mean problems on minor roads later so it will be worth keeping an eye on our daily travel updates above.
Helensburgh was the focus of attention yesterday as the Clyde emptied itself vigorously across the sea wall along its esplanade into the town. The thrill of such a storm will not survive into today’s clean up operation.
All of Argyll’s ferry services were off, with every island cut off and ferry access to the two major peninsulas of Cowal and Kintyre also cut off. The last ferry to go was the little roro from Colintraive in Cowal to Rhubodach on Bute, which soldiered on for most of the day, shuttling across the relative shelter of the Kyles of Bute.
Roads were covered in standing water and in Old Kilpatrick, Inveraray and Benderloch, local flooding closed roads that remain closed this morning.
Why companies running high sided vehicles persisted in leaving their drivers on the road is a mystery. They stood no chance. The A83 (as above) , the A82 and the central belt saw many blown over, with risk to their drivers, serious disruption to traffic in closed roads and loss to their owners in recovery and repair costs.
No planes flew in or out of the Argyll airports and flights were disrupted at the major central belt airports. Two West Highland Line train services between Oban and Glasgow, one in each direction, were separately stopped by fallen trees and all sorts of debris on the line between Crianlarich and Ardlui. Their passengers were taken off and bussed to their destinations.
The A83 was to be reviewed yesterday 
but obviously the weather and the series of blow-overs of high-sided vehicles there put a stop to that. However, the situation at Rest and Be Thankful will now be reassessed on a daily basis to test confidence in the stability of the hillside.
Transport Scotland are liaising with the Forestry Commission and the Argyll Timber Transport Group. They have discussed the use of the haul road for transport of timber products in the past and this is part of current discussions.
Winter maintenance of the Inveraray & Cairndow section of the A83 is toll be discussed with Scotland TranServ as well as the maintenance of the diversion signs. Scotland TranServ are also continuing to liaise with Argyll and Bute Council about the A819 diversion route.
The photograph above – of high sided vehicles blown over at 13.30 yesterday (8th December 2011) on the A83 along Loch Restil at Rest and Be Thankful – is by copyright holder, Richard Hunt-Smith, the photographer behind the attractive and unfussed concept of photo walks in Argyll. It is reproduced here by permission.
For the past few days both the BBC travel News and Traffic Scotland websites have been reporting the problem on the Rest and Be Thankful.
The BBC website has persisted in describing the road as partially blocked, with a diversion in operation via Tyndrum and Dalmally. The Traffic Scotland website has persisted in referring to ‘closure’ – and only when you persist does it admit that, actually, the road is open in daylight hours.
Local people who are familiar with this road and the machinations of Transport Scotland and their agents know better than to believe everything that they read, and probably place more trust in word-of-mouth and perhaps the traffic webcams at the Lochgoilhead road end.
Other people won’t venture in this direction, unless they’re adept at fighting their way through the over-rigid and poorly designed information systems in the cyber-bog.
Is it asking for too much to expect two ‘official’ traffic news websites to display accurate and reliable information?
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Not related to roads but cannot find anywhere else to put comment
Once again, Scottish Hydro workers have gone way beyond what is “reasonable” to get us re-connected so quickly. I know many in Argyll and beyond are still without power but I feel that not enough praise/thanks is offered to the essential service providers when they do work so hard in appalling conditions
Thank you, Hydro engineers and support personnel
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Hear, hear Barmore. last night the lights went out in Barcaldine at 6.30. We lit the candles and paraffin lamps, stoked the stove, checked on our neighbours and hunkered down for a night of singing songs, playing musical instruments (and blagging a bottle of wine from afore mentioned neighbours). News (via the mobile phone) was that the “Hydro” would update us at 12.00 noon the next day as to when our power would be restored. We accepted this as reasonable, after all it was still blowing a hoolie and the Hydro spokesperson had said it was just too dangerous to send engineers out. We are a small community and hardly the priority so, uncomplaining, we settled down to the novelty of flickering candles and the strange smell of paraffin.
But lo and behold the lights came back on at around 9.00pm.
How they fixed it I do not know and I know that lots of bits of North Lorn haven’t been so lucky but all praise to the linesmen and other engineers of the Hydro. Might not have the glamour of firefighters or lifeboat crew but the Hydro engineers are heroes all.
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