Cairngorms funicular repairs next summer 'at earliest'

The funicular has not been operational for almost a year

Repairs to the Cairngorms' funicular would not begin until May next year at the earliest, its owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has said.

The UK's highest railway has been out of action for almost a year due to structural problems.

Last month, HIE said fixing the funicular would be a cheaper option than having the structure removed.

Built at a cost of £26m, it connects a base station with a restaurant 1,097m (3,599ft) up Cairn Gorm mountain.

HIE said specialist structural engineers have been carrying out a further detail examination of issues affecting the beams of the railway, near Aviemore, this week.

Repairs are required to almost half of the railway's piers, almost 300 bearings need to be replaced and joints and connections on beams need to be reinforced.

The Scottish government will have to approve the repairs once the final cost is known.