Kyle of Lochalsh Line
| Kyle of Lochalsh Line | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| System | National Rail |
| Status | Operational |
| Locale |
Highland Scotland |
| Termini |
Dingwall Kyle of Lochalsh |
| Stations | 13 |
| Operation | |
| Owner | Network Rail |
| Operator(s) | Abellio ScotRail |
| Rolling stock | Class 158 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh: 63 miles 64 chains (102.7 km) |
| Track gauge | Standard gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
The Kyle of Lochalsh Line is a primarily single track railway line in the Scottish Highlands, running from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh. Many of the passengers on the trains are tourists but one can also expect to meet locals visiting Inverness for shopping, and commuters. All services are provided by Abellio ScotRail and run to Inverness. Most services run to or from Inverness; one daily train runs beyond Inverness to Elgin (in the current 2016 timetable) having in the past come from Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen. No section of the line is electrified and all trains on the line are diesel-powered, as are all other trains in the Scottish Highlands.
The route was built in three sections:
Latterly the Strathpeffer Branch operated between 1885 and 1951.
In the 1960s the line was listed to be closed under the Reshaping of British Railways report, however it was reprieved and services continued.
In 1989 the bridge over the River Ness at Inverness was washed away, leaving both it and the Far North Line stranded, but new "Sprinter" trains were brought over by road, and a temporary yard was built to service them at Muir of Ord. The section of line along Loch Carron is particularly troublesome and prone to landslides, often closing that section.
Whilst undeniably a rural line, a historic term in the Act of Parliament for the railways here and around Inverness means that one through service per day is operated over the line towards Aberdeen (see above), whereas all other services start and finish at Inverness.
From 1999 onwards, the then ScotRail operator, National Express, began the removal of the Class 156 "Sprinter" trains. Their replacement was to be the faster, higher standard Class 158s. These trains offered a better all round travelling experience, with air conditioning, improved speed, lighting, seating, storage and general comfort. There is now a dedicated fleet of Class 158 units based at Inverness serving the Kyle of Lochalsh line, the Far North Line to Wick and Thurso, and the Aberdeen to Inverness Line. The next franchise owner First ScotRail had continued the current situation, with improvement to the depot facilities at Inverness.
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Wikipedia