News - Rockfall
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Engineers to undertake four-day project to install specialist netting system on a rock cutting above the railway near Ratho. Safety-critical works will help prevent loose material from potentially falling onto the railway. The project will mean significant disruption to services between Edinburgh and Glasgow, Bathgate, Stirling and Inverness from January 29 until February 2 with advice for essential travel only.
(Permalink) Engineering works Ratho Rockfall |
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A stretch of track near Bishopton has been affected by rocks falling onto the track.
(Permalink) Bishopton Rockfall  Bishopton No 2 Tunnel: Bishopton Cutting and tunnels were cut into solid whinstone rock which delayed the opening of the line by 7 months. View looks west with a backdrop of the River Clyde and Dumbarton Castle. |
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Train services between Inverness and Wick have been disrupted after a rockfall near Dingwall.
(Permalink) Delays Dingwall Rockfall Speed restrictions |
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It has been an ongoing problem since the important road to Kyle of Lochalsh, Skye and the outer isles opened back in 1970.
(Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide  Avalanche Shelter: A new meaning for 'taking to the tracks' near the avalanche shelter on the Kyle line. The view looks east to the diversion of the Stromeferry Bypass onto the railway. See image [[65935 for details]].  Avalanche Shelter: For a short length the Stromeferry Bypass has been diverted onto the Kyle line fitted with a surface to allow road vehicles to drive on the line, effectively a tramway for this portion. The cliff face ... |
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Network Rail engineers have made innovative changes to signalling systems at Stromeferry which will allow road users increased access over the railway.
(Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide |
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Scotrail are currently considering a proposal to terminate rail journeys at Strathcarron to allow road traffic to flow more freely through the diversion on the Stromeferry bypass.
At a meeting in Lochcarron last week, Colin Howell (pictured), Highland Councils head of infrastructure, said that the road to rail diversion on the bypass, where important stabilisation work to the rockface is being carried out, could stay open to traffic for an extra 80 minutes each day if Scotrail would agree to do this. It would involved taking passengers by bus from Strathcarron to stations along the line to Kyle of Lochalsh. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide  Avalanche Shelter: Driving along a railway on a Sunday afternoon, as you do. A van and trailer return to the roadway at the west end of the diversion of the Stromeferry Bypass. See image [[65935 for more details.]] Note ... Avalanche Shelter: A new meaning for 'taking to the tracks' near the avalanche shelter on the Kyle line. The view looks east to the diversion of the Stromeferry Bypass onto the railway. See image [[65935 for details]]. Avalanche Shelter: For a short length the Stromeferry Bypass has been diverted onto the Kyle line fitted with a surface to allow road vehicles to drive on the line, effectively a tramway for this portion. The cliff face ... |
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Essential works are set to take place to the rock face to the west of the avalanche shelter on the A890 Stromeferry Bypass from 3 September 2018 and the Council is reminding the public that road closures and traffic management will be in place for up to 12 weeks.
Cards showing details of the timetable that will be operating for the road to rail diversion through the works have been distributed in the surrounding communities and a copy is also available to download from The Highland Council website by searching for Stromeferry Bypass. [Railscot note: Vehicles will be diverted onto the specially protected railway trackbed at the avalanche shelter.] (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide |
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People using the Stromeferry Bypass in the Highlands will face overnight closures of the route and a long detour for three months later this year.
Highland Council said it was working with Network Rail to design a bypass which would allow cars and light vehicles to use the route between scheduled timetabled trains. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide |
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Highland Council is re-examining the potential for road and rail traffic to share the same space at Stromeferry in Wester Ross in the form of a tramway.
The local authority has been seeking a solution to the 1960s-built Stromeferry Bypass, which has had problems with landslides. It has been closed by 10 significant rock falls between 1990 and 2012. The council is looking at how the nearby, less badly affected, railway could be adapted. Using the railway has been considered, but ruled out, before. But Highland Council has now suggested that it could be turned into a tramway, meaning it would have track and also a surface suitable for road traffic. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide  Stromeferry: A Kyle - Inverness train running between Loch Carron and the then new road near Stromeferry in August 1970.  Stromeferry: The railway deviation caused by the landslip-prone new A890 road is just apparent ahead of this train east of Strome Ferry in Summer 1974.  Stromeferry: Just east of Stromeferry after the mud landslide of November 2001 which closed the line west of Strathcarron. A replacement bus service called at all stations except Duncraig. The original course of t ... |
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Electronic 'ears' have been installed along one of Scotland's most landslide-prone train lines in a pioneering project that could protect rail tracks and roads across Scotland.
The fibre-optic cables are a modern-day replacement for a Victorian rockfall warning system in the steep-sided Pass of Brander on the Glasgow-Oban line. The UK first is being tested on the route below Ben Cruachan, where in 2010 a ScotRail train nearly plunged down a 50ft embankment after hitting a fallen boulder and derailing. A tripwire system built by engineer John Anderson in 1882, in which falling rocks trigger line-side signals, did not detect the boulder because it fell from lower down the slope. (Permalink) Derailment Landslide Loch Awe Pass of Brander Rockfall ScotRail West Highland Lines  Pass of Brander Stone Signals: View from the roadside of the stone signals at the Pass of Brander. Should a rock fall occur then a series of wires that run along this stretch of line automatically throw the semaphore signals to Dan ...  Awe Crossing: 37 405 heading west from Loch Awe to the Pass of Brander. The signals are part of Anderson's Piano which detects rockfalls.  Allt Coire Mheadhoin Viaduct: GBRf 66734 'The Eco Express' lying alongside Loch Treig on 4 July 2012 following derailment in the aftermath of a landslip on 28 June. The locomotive will be particularly difficult to recover from thi ... |
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Rail and council leaders have been short-listed for a prestigious UK award for their innovative joint response to last winter's landslip at
Stromeferry. ScotRail, Network Rail and Highland Council are in the running for the Outstanding Team Effort title at the Community Rail Awards. The short-listing comes after rocks and debris fell on to the A890 Stromeferry bypass during severe weather on 22 December 2011, forcing the closure of the key Highland road and leaving motorists facing a 140-mile detour. To help Plockton High School pupils from Applecross, Kishorn and Lochcarron attend classes, ScotRail provided an additional morning train and free travel for the students. By March, a unique temporary road surface had been built over 150 metres of train track. Made out of rubber matting, it created a diversionary road for vehicles under 7.5 tonnes when the line was not being used by ScotRail's trains. Traffic along the route was controlled by Network Rail and Highland Council staff on site. Winners of the eighth annual Community Rail Awards will be announced at a ceremony in Swindon on 28 September 2012. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide |
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A lifeline Wester Ross road is set to reopen to traffic on a full-time basis later this month - four months after it was closed by a series of rockfalls.
Work on the A890 Stromeferry Bypass which links Lochcarron and Kyle of Lochalsh is nearing completion and Highland Council is targeting Monday April 23 for a full reopening of the route. Work will start on Saturday on dismantling and removing the holdfast units and barriers on the railway line which have enabled traffic to be diverted on to the track between 7am and 7pm every day since March 26. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide  Plockton: Two stops out from its final destination, the 1101 Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh calls at Plockton on 29 September 2009. Those gathered under the canopy in the far corner of the platform are not passen ...  Stromeferry: The afternoon train from Kyle to Inverness pulls out of the once-imposing station at Stromeferry in the summer of 1983. Attached at the rear of the train is ex-GWR coach no 9004 which was used as an o ...  Stromeferry: Stromeferry looking towards Inverness. On the 29th of October 2001 a mudslide closed the Kyle line making Strathcarron the temporary terminus until the line was remade east of Stromeferry. The hillsid ... |
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Road traffic has been allowed onto the railway at Stromeferry in Wester Ross to help ease travel in the area.
A stretch of the A890 has been shut since December following landslides. Traffic will be allowed onto the nearby railway when there are no trains passing through and until the risk of further slides is reduced. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide |
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The first batch of rubber mats have been laid alongside tracks at Stromeferry in Wester Ross to allow road traffic onto the railway. Highland Council is having the material called HoldFast installed to ease travel in the area.
A stretch of the A890 has been shut since December following landslides. Traffic will be allowed onto the nearby railway when there are no trains passing through and until the risk of further slides is reduced. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide Plockton: Two stops out from its final destination, the 1101 Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh calls at Plockton on 29 September 2009. Those gathered under the canopy in the far corner of the platform are not passen ... Stromeferry: The afternoon train from Kyle to Inverness pulls out of the once-imposing station at Stromeferry in the summer of 1983. Attached at the rear of the train is ex-GWR coach no 9004 which was used as an o ... Stromeferry: Stromeferry looking towards Inverness. On the 29th of October 2001 a mudslide closed the Kyle line making Strathcarron the temporary terminus until the line was remade east of Stromeferry. The hillsid ... |
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Commuters to Inverness will be able to catch earlier trains from Monday.
ScotRail is reintroducing the 7.26am Elgin to Inverness service, which has been replaced by a bus since January 23, when the train was sent to be used as a morning service for Plockton High pupils to get to school, as an alternative as the Stromeferry bypass remains closed. The 9am Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh service, which has also been replaced with a bus service recently, will return to normal, and a service for the pupils in Plockton will remain. In order to make the changes, there will only be two carriages on the 9.03am Inverness to Aberdeen and 1.39pm Aberdeen to Inverness services. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall School train Stromeferry landslide |
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ScotRail is to provide an additional early morning service to ensure that
Plockton High pupils can get to school - free of charge - while the Stromeferry bypass remains closed. From Monday 23 January, an 06.20 Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh service will transport the children to Plockton before 09.00. Other passengers can also buy tickets for the service. In order to accommodate the additional service, the 07.26 Elgin-Inverness will be replaced by a bus. A bus will also operate the 09.00 Inverness-Kyle, connecting into a train at Achnasheen. Jerry Farquharson, ScotRail's director of business planning, said: 'We've worked closely with Highland Council and HITRANS to put this plan in place. 'It means that pupils will be able to get to school over the coming weeks with as little disruption as possible - and without incurring any extra travel costs.' Dr Michael Foxley, Highland Council leader said: 'This is great news. ScotRail's cooperation is much appreciated, particularly as the children will get to travel for free.' It is expected that the service will be in place for between four and six weeks. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall School train Stromeferry landslide Plockton: Two stops out from its final destination, the 1101 Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh calls at Plockton on 29 September 2009. Those gathered under the canopy in the far corner of the platform are not passen ... Stromeferry: The afternoon train from Kyle to Inverness pulls out of the once-imposing station at Stromeferry in the summer of 1983. Attached at the rear of the train is ex-GWR coach no 9004 which was used as an o ... Stromeferry: Stromeferry looking towards Inverness. On the 29th of October 2001 a mudslide closed the Kyle line making Strathcarron the temporary terminus until the line was remade east of Stromeferry. The hillsid ... |
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Road traffic could be allowed to travel along railway tracks to avoid an area where landslides have closed a road for more than two weeks.
Highland Council said it was an option being considered for the section of A890 Lochcarron to Kyle road. In October 1990, traffic was allowed onto the nearby railway line after rockfalls in the same area. The method uses railway sleepers and would end the need for motorists to make a 140 mile (225km) diversion. Network Rail said it was looking at the possibility of allowing traffic onto the line again. (Permalink) Kyle Line Landslide Network Rail Rockfall Stromeferry  Avalanche Shelter: Rock falls are an ever present hazard on parts of the Kyle line. Along the shore of Loch Carron, between Attadale and Ardnarff, a particularly bad fall on 16 November 1969 resulted in closure of the ...  Avalanche Shelter: A class 26 hauled train heading west towards Kyle of Lochalsh in the early 1970s about to enter the Loch Carron avalanche shelter. Located to the south west of Attadale station, the shelter was constr ...  Stromeferry: View west over the new alignment of the railway to the east of Stromeferry station in February 2002, just prior to tracklaying in the aftermath of the mudslide. The original course was very slightly c ... |
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A five-tonne landslide has closed a railway line in the Highlands.
Rocks, trees and water has covered part of the Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh line. Network Rail and Scotrail were alerted the landslide, near Stromeferry village, at around 11am on Thursday. (Permalink) Dingwall and Skye Railway Rockfall Stromeferry landslide  Stromeferry: The 1203 Kyle of Lochalsh - Inverness train standing alongside trailer mounted boats at Stromeferry station on 29 September 2009.
Stromeferry: The afternoon train from Kyle to Inverness pulls out of the once-imposing station at Stromeferry in the summer of 1983. Attached at the rear of the train is ex-GWR coach no 9004 which was used as an o ... Stromeferry: Stromeferry looking towards Inverness. On the 29th of October 2001 a mudslide closed the Kyle line making Strathcarron the temporary terminus until the line was remade east of Stromeferry. The hillsid ... |
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Major work to prevent further rockfalls and landslips will close a 117-mile section of the main rail line from central Scotland to the Highlands for nine days next month.
(Permalink) Kingussie Landslide Rockfall  Kingussie: Photographed in August 1993, between Kingussie and Aviemore.
37111 heads a northbound working for Inverness. |
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