Network Rail has completed delivery on a 15 million GBP rail improvement project on the West Highland Line connecting Crianlarich and Fort William.

Carried out over a nine-day closure; the work saw engineers renew sections of track, make improvements to drainage and clear hazardous vegetation in order to protect the line against rainfall and extreme weather.

The work was completed during a nine-day line closure

© Network Rail

Key elements of the projected also included the replacement of roughly 10km of rail and over 9,000 sleepers, as well as the renewal of a railway bridge near Corrour, Feith footbridge and five culverts.

Jeremy Spence, Route Delivery Director at Network Rail Scotland, said:

The West Highland Line is a vital transport link for communities and businesses across the Highlands, as well as a world-renowned destination for tourists. These upgrades will help keep services running smoothly and reduce the risk of disruption on a route exposed to some of the harshest conditions on the rail network.

Delivering this work was no small task. Our teams operated in remote, hard-to-reach locations and faced challenging terrain and unpredictable weather throughout the nine-day closure. Their commitment and expertise ensured the project was completed safely and on time.

We’d also like to thank passengers and local communities for their patience and understanding while the work took place. This investment will make the line more resilient, helping us provide a more reliable railway for everyone who uses it

The works forms part of a wider initiative to strengthen the rail infrastructure across the Highlands, with June having seen Network Rail deliver a 11.5 million GBP upgrade on the Far North Line. A 4.5 million GBP project was also completed on the Kyle Line earlier this month.

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