'Very unusual' sinkhole appears under railway line

The sinkhole was discovered by engineers near Caldercruix on Sunday

A large sinkhole that appeared under a railway line in North Lanarkshire has caused disruption to services for several days.

Engineers found the hole on Sunday near Caldercruix and are assessing its diameter and depth.

Network Rail said that sinkholes such as this were "very unusual" on the railway and an underground spring is being looked at as a potential cause.

ScotRail services between Helensburgh and Edinburgh Waverley are stopping at Airdrie with a replacement bus service between Airdrie and Bathgate until Monday.

Trains between Airdrie and Balloch are not affected.

Network Rail said engineers would put together a repair plan and a timeline for the line reopening once investigations are complete.

Ross Moran, the interim route director for Network Rail Scotland, said: “Sinkholes like this are very unusual on the railway, and our specialist geotechnical engineers are working tirelessly to identify the cause.

“We understand the inconvenience this incident will cause for passengers, and I’d like to thank those who travel on this route for their patience and understanding.”

Phil Campbell, ScotRail's customer operations director, added: “Customers should plan their journey in advance and allow some extra time, as the bus service will take longer.”