The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Railway disruption to continue until Friday due to track damage
Just one line open after essential repairs had to be carried out at Dunkeld, causing changes to services
Rail disruption in Perthshire is to continue for the rest of the working week as engineers work to repair a broken track.
The damaged line at Dunkeld caused commuter chaos on Tuesday as trains were cancelled and replaced by buses between Perth and Pitlochry, where rail services resumed to Inverness.
Part of the Highland Main Line reopened yesterday morning but replacement buses will be required until the weekend, ScotRail has confirmed.
It had been hoped normal service would be resumed as engineers worked through the night to repair the track but only one line could be opened.
ScotRail said a limited service will be provided until the end of the day on Friday, with buses on hand to plug gaps.
A statement said: “Network Rail has reopened one of the lines at Dunkeld and Birnam, allowing us to run trains between Perth and Inverness.
We won’t be able to resume a normal timetable until the repairs are complete
“There will still be some changes to services until repairs are complete.
“We are running some services in both directions, with replacement buses also still running. We won’t be able to resume a normal timetable until the repairs are complete.”
It is not yet known what caused the track damage, which was discovered when a non-passenger train went over the line on Monday night.
Tuesday’s chaos was augmented by a car crashing into a level crossing in Bridge of Allan at around 11am, causing trains between the central belt and Perth to be cancelled until lunchtime.
British Transport Police are looking for witnesses to the collision, which they said caused “significant damage” to the crossing in Cornton Road.
The driver fled the scene and anyone with information, or dash cam footage, is asked to call 0800 405040 or text 61016, quoting reference 177 and Tuesday’s date.
Disruption in Perthshire will continue in the coming weeks as the Highland line will be partially closed at weekends as part of a multi-million upgrade.
The improvement and maintenance programme includes extending a platform at Pitlochry, rock stabilisation near Dunkeld and Blair Atholl, and replacing a section of track near Perth.
The line between Perth and Inverness will be closed on Sundays November 4, 11 and 18 and from Saturday November 24 until Monday November 26. Bus replacements will be available.