Druimuachdar Summit

Location type

Place

Name and dates

Druimuachdar Summit (1863-)

, Scotland
Opened on the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway.

Description

Druimuachdar Pass Summit is 1,484 ft above sea level. The line is double track. It is the highest main line summit in Britain. (The highest standard gauge line was at Wanlockhead at 1,498 ft, closed 1939.)

The line was doubled in the late 1890s, completed around 1900. A double track extended from Blair Atholl to Dalwhinnie.

The Highland Railway was keen to double this portion of the Highland Main Line as it was arduous with trains requiring piloting. Obviously slow moving trains in a single track section greatly reduced capacity. Both the Forres [2nd] original route and later Carrbridge route to Inverness fed the line south.

It was reduced to a single line in 1966. It was redoubled in 1978.

Also known as County March Summit. Nearby, during doubling of the line, was County March Signal Box [Highland Main Line].

Tags

Summit

Aliases

Drumochter Summit Druimuachdar Pass Summit County March Summit [Highland Main Line]
01/11/2021




Nearby stations
Dalnaspidal
Dalwhinnie
Struan
Newtonmore
Black Island Platform
Blair Atholl
Fersit Halt
Kingussie
Rannoch
Tulloch
Corrour
Killiecrankie
Aberfeldy
Pitlochry
Kincraig
Balsporran Box
Tourist/other
County March Signal Box [Highland Main Line]
An Torc
The Sow of Atholl
A^Mharconaich
Dalnaspidal Lodge
A^Bhuidheanach Bheag
Geal-Charn [Erecht]
Sgairneach Mhor
Glas Mheall Mor
Beinn Udlamain
Loch Garry
Loch Garry [Dalnaspidal]
Loch Ericht
Ben Alder Lodge
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


Pigs and boars


A number of locations on the Highland Main Line refer to pigs and boars.

West of Druimuachdar Summit are two striking hills, An Torc (the Boar of Badenoch) and, to its south, Meall an Dobharchain (the Sow of Atholl). The profiles resemble hogbacks.

Slochd Viaduct crosses Slochd Mhuic - pig's den in English.


Summits


A selection of Scottish line summits, with their heights above sea level:


Wanlockhead1,498 ftA
Druimuachdar Summit1,484 ftB
Corrour Summit1,350 ftC
Slochd Summit1,315 ft
Dava Summit1,052 ft
County March Summit [West Highland]1,024 ft
Beattock Summit1,016 ft
Whitrope Summit970 ft
Middletoun Summit944 ft
Leadburn Summit Siding935 ft
Falahill Summit880 ft
County March Summit [Sutherland and Caithness]708 ft
Chirmorie Summit690 ftD
Holmes Summit656 ft
Luib Summit646 ft
Polquhap Summit616 ft
Kennethmont Summit594 ftE
Gatehouse of Fleet495 ft
Raven Rock Summit458 ft
Gleneagles Summit422 ft
Pinmore Summit394 ft
Letterfinlay Crossing370 ft


A - highest point on the Caledonian Railway B - highest on Highland Railway C - highest on North British Railway D - highest on Glasgow and South Western Railway E - highest on Great North of Scotland Railway


News items

29/04/2021Highland Line features on new Azuma poster collection [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
24/02/2021Avalanche debris hits A9 road and main rail line at Highland gateway [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
13/12/2020LNER launches first calendar celebrating the rail line which serves the strath [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
04/02/2020Azumas Highest challenge [Rail Engineer]

Books


Bradshaw's Guides Scotlands Railways West Coast - Carlisle to Inverness: 5

Highland Railway Album: No. 1

Highland Railway Album: No. 2

Highland Railway Carriages and Wagons

Highland Railway: People and Places - From the Inverness and Nairn Railway to Scotrail

The Highland Railway

The Highland Railway : The History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands - Vol 2