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Snow and flooding block Highland railway lines, ScotRail confirms


By Philip Murray

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Snow ploughs have been kept busy on Highland railway lines. Picture: Network Rail Scotland.
Snow ploughs have been kept busy on Highland railway lines. Picture: Network Rail Scotland.

MAJOR weather disruption was continuing to hit Highland railway lines on Friday, amid continued snow warnings from the Met Office.

ScotRail has confirmed that the Highland mainline will remain closed between Aviemore and Perth until at least midday because of heavy snow on the line between Dalwhinnie and Inverness.

And the Far North Line is also closed between Tain and Lairg due to heavy rain flooding the line between Ardgay and Lairg. Trains from Inverness are terminating in Tain and services from Caithness are ending at Lairg. This disruption is expected to last until at least 10am.

The disruption on the routes comes after rail engineers battled to keep the Highland mainline clear of drifts on Thursday. Network Rail Scotland sent locomotive ploughs along the route on Thursday in a bid to clear the lines, which had been buried under two feet of snow in places.

And disruption is not just affecting the railways. A rescue operation was under way on the A835 in Ross-shire on Friday morning after around 20 vehicles became stuck in heavy snow between the Braemore junction and Aultguish at Loch Droma.

Snow has completely blocked the A835 between the Braemore junction and Aultguish. Picture: Highland Council.
Snow has completely blocked the A835 between the Braemore junction and Aultguish. Picture: Highland Council.

The trunk road was closed last night due to heavy snow and is expected to remain shut "until further notice".

A Highland Council spokesman said: “Around 20 vehicles [are] trapped in snow at Loch Droma on the A835. Emergency services present. Do not attempt to travel in this area.”

And in Sutherland, the A894 was closed between Loch Assynt and the B869 turn-off for Drumbeg, south of Kylesku and Unapool.

Related news: WATCH: Snow ploughs battle to clear Highland mainline

Related news: Two-metre snow drifts leave drivers stranded on A835


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