Aberdeen–Inverness line

Aberdeen–Inverness line
A ScotRail train at Inverurie station in July 2005
Overview
Type Rural
System National Rail
Status Operational
Locale Aberdeenshire
Highland
Scotland
Termini Inverness
Aberdeen
Stations 10
Operation
Opened 1858
Owner Network Rail
Operator(s) Abellio ScotRail
Character Rural
Rolling stock Class 158 "Express Sprinter" and class 170
Technical
Line length 108 miles 21 chains (174.2 km)
Number of tracks Single line with passing loops
Track gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Operating speed 75 mph (120 km/h) maximum

The Aberdeen–Inverness line is a railway line in Scotland linking Aberdeen and Inverness.

History

The line was built in three parts:-

A Highland Railway 'Clan Goods' locomotive at Forres

Most of the line is single-track, other than the part of the line between Insch and Kennethmont, which is double-track.

The first two parts of the line merged to form the Highland Railway. The Highland Railway operated the line from Inverness to Keith with the Great North operating the line from there to Aberdeen. The Highland was grouped with other railways into the London Midland and Scottish Railway and the Great North was grouped into the London and North Eastern Railway by the Railways Act 1921, before eventually becoming part of British Railways in 1948.

Since 1948

Many intermediate stations were closed at various dates during the 1950s and 1960s to both passenger and goods traffic. The 1963 Reshaping of British Railways report recommended the closure of Inverurie and Insch stations but these remain open. Dyce station was reopened in 1984 to serve the adjacent Aberdeen Airport.

A new freight interchange known as Raith's Farm was opened in 2009 at Dyce.[1]

Current services

Aberdeen–Inverness line
 Kyle of Lochalsh Line & Far North Line
Rose Street Junction
Welsh's Bridge Junction
Inverness ( to Inverness Airport)
Millburn Junction
Highland Main Line
 Dalcross
 Nairn
 Forres
 Elgin
Keith and Dufftown Railway
Keith Town Keith and Dufftown Railway
Keith
Huntly
 Insch
 Inverurie
 Kintore
 Dyce
 Aberdeen NorthLink Ferries ( to Aberdeen Airport)
Glasgow–Aberdeen line &
Edinburgh–Aberdeen line

Passenger services are operated by Abellio ScotRail with less regular London trains operated by London North Eastern Railway during diversions. There is some limited freight traffic, with Elgin retaining a goods yard, whilst Keith, Huntly and Inverurie retain smaller, less frequently used goods yards. Raith's Farm freight yard at Dyce serves Aberdeen.[1]

The line serves the following stations:

StationGrid reference
and other notes
AberdeenNJ941058
Connection with the Edinburgh to Aberdeen Line
Connection with the Glasgow to Aberdeen Line
Connection with the Caledonian Sleeper to London Euston
Connection with NorthLink Ferries to Orkney and Shetland
DyceNJ884128
Connection with 80 Dyce Airlink shuttle bus to Aberdeen Airport
InverurieNJ775218
InschNJ629275
HuntlyNJ535396
KeithNJ429516
Connection with the preserved Keith and Dufftown Railway
ElginNJ218621
ForresNJ029589
NairnNH881560
InvernessNH667454
Connections with the Highland Main Line, the Far North Line and, via Dingwall on the Far North Line, the Kyle of Lochalsh Line
Connection with the Caledonian Sleeper to London Euston
Bus connection to Inverness Airport

Plans

There are currently plans to extend some of the services and increase the frequency of trains between Inverurie and Aberdeen. This will be part of the Aberdeen Crossrail project. Transport Scotland is also funding an infrastructure improvement project on the route between 2015 and 2030. Phase 1 of this scheme (costing £170 million) is due for completion by 2019 and will see the southern end of the line redoubled, the passing loop at Forres extended into a relocated station, new stations built at Dalcross & Kintore, platforms extended at Elgin & Insch and signalling & level crossings on the route upgraded.[2][3][4] The first stage (resignalling between Inverness and Keith, the new station at Forres and extension of the Elgin loop) was completed on schedule on 17 October 2017.

Notes

  1. 1 2 Raiths Farm at Railscot Retrieved 2010-03-15
  2. ↑ "Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvement Project, Scotland"Railway-technology.com article; Retrieved 19 August 2016
  3. ↑ "Aberdeen to Inverness rail improvements". www.transport.gov.scot. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
  4. ↑ "Aberdeen – Inverness Improvements – Network Rail". www.networkrail.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-08-21.
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