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Friday 5 Oct 2018

Aberdeen-Inverness project gives customers virtual view of upgrade works

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Passengers at Aberdeen station are being given the chance to see enhancement works recently delivered between Aberdeen and Dyce in an innovative virtual reality (VR) experience.

Network Rail and main contractor BAM Nuttall have installed a six-metre, cylindrical pod on the concourse at Aberdeen station.

This eye-catching installation will be displaying a 360-degree virtual reality film to showcase the works that have been completed by the Aberdeen-Inverness Improvement Project team so far in 2018.

The VR film gives members of the public a never before seen glimpse of the railway line – the bird’s eye view – and will be open from October 6 to October 12, between 10:00 and 18:00 each day.

Matthew Spence, Network Rail’s Route Delivery Director for Scotland, said: “It was fascinating to see this film as it highlights the railway enhancement in a new way, helping the public to understand the complex work that has taken place to build the second track from Aberdeen to Dyce.

“A big thanks goes to all the team who worked hard to complete this phase of the project and to the public for their patience and understanding throughout the construction.”

Jerry Dickson, BAM Nuttall’s HEP Framework Manager, said: “The credit must go to our teams who worked consistently for 14 weeks this summer to deliver the new infrastructure between Aberdeen to Dyce and it is fantastic to see the works through this creative film. Our focus now shifts to delivering the next section of re-doubled track between Dyce and Inverurie.”

The benefits of the Aberdeen-Inverness Improvement Project for customers will include:

• More services between Elgin and Inverness from this December, increasing during 2019 until there is an hourly service all day, providing 1,300 additional seats.
• A half-hourly service all day between Inverurie and Aberdeen from December 2019, with extra services at peak times, providing 3,000 additional seats each day.
• Additional Elgin-Aberdeen early morning and late evening services.
• InterCity trains operating between Aberdeen and Inverness, providing an extra 1,400 each day between the two cities.
• A new direct service between Inverurie and Montrose, reducing the need to change in Aberdeen.