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Thursday 10 Oct 2013

Network Rail begins £2m Highland main line maintenance programme

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Network Rail engineers will be carrying out extensive maintenance and track improvement works on the Highland main line between Perth and Inverness over the next four Sundays (October 13, 20, 27 and November 3).

Representing an investment of over £2m in the line, the projects are being completed as part of our regular maintenance of the railway and also to help reduce the potential impact of severe winter weather on the line.

Over the four Sundays, engineers will be working to strengthen earthworks, improve drainage, cut back vegetation and stabilise rock-faces at various locations between Perth and Aviemore as part of our preparations for winter.

We will also be undertaking work to track and signalling infrastructure around the Perth area.

Replacement bus services will be provided between Perth and Inverness on Sunday, October 13, and between Perth and Aviemore on the following Sundays (October 20/27 and November 3).

A Network Rail spokesman said: "This investment and maintenance programme is essential to ensure the continued running of a reliable rail network in the Highlands and it cannot be delivered without short-term disruption to services.

“The work will be completed as quickly as possible and is being carried out now both to help prepare the line for winter and also to avoid the key summer tourist trade months."