Timber revival for the West Highland Line?

UP TO 50,000 tonnes of timber a year could be moved by rail over the West Highland Line if a joint venture between the Scottish Government and private sector partners comes to fruition.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed by the Scottish Government, Scottish Forestry, timber companies and landowners for the development of a log stacking and rail loading siding near Rannoch, on the Crianlarich-Fort William line. Promoters plan to harvest about 500,000 tonnes of timber from Rannoch Forest over the next decade. Shipping it out by rail is expected to avoid up to 4,000 lorry movements a year.

Work to finalise the commercial side and the loading siding design is in progress, to be followed by planning applications and a tender for construction of the facility.