Far North Line to get £11.5m summer upgrade

The Far North Line will see refurbishment and replacement work this summer

Network Rail is to carry out an £11.5m upgrade of the Far North Line in the summer.

The work will see a five-mile (8km) stretch between Brora and Helmsdale refurbished and almost nine miles (15km) of track between Invergordon and Fearn replaced.

To allow the work to be carried out safely, the line will be closed with no trains running north of Dingwall from Sunday 8 June until Monday 30 June.

Dalchalm level crossing will also be temporarily closed during the work, with traffic diverted via the A9.

Anyone intending to travel between 8 and 30 June on rail services using the affected line has been advised to check with ScotRail for further information.

Its service delivery director Mark Ilderton said that while the work would mean some temporary disruption to journeys, it was a vital investment in the future of the route.

The Far North Line extends from Inverness to Wick and Thurso.

It is the most northerly rail line in the UK and was built in sections with the first - the Inverness to Ardgay line - opening in 1862.