The rail line between Stonehaven and Montrose will be closed until at least February 7.
The route has been shut since last Friday after a section of the rail bridge collapsed near Carmont and approximately one mile away from the scene of last summer’s fatal train derailment.
Now, Network Rail has confirmed that the line will remain closed for at least the next two weeks, and possibly longer.
Engineers have been on site since the incident, surveying the bridge and coming up with a plan to fix it.
However, due to the rural area, height (15m), and exposed location, repairs will be complex for the rail operator.
Replacement buses have been put on between the two towns to help commuters who are making essential journeys.
Update: 22/01 @ 18:00. Our focus since last week has been on assessing the condition of the bridge and developing a plan to reopen the railway. The site is a complex one for our team due to the rural area, exposed location, and the height (15m) they’re working at. /1 pic.twitter.com/UkNzc3ZBGX
— Network Rail Scotland (@NetworkRailSCOT) January 22, 2021
A statement from Network Rail confirmed that they were working on getting the line back up and running as soon as “quickly” as they can.
It said: “So far, we’ve completed extensive surveys and site inspections, including removing the southbound track and its supporting stone.
“We’re carrying out extensive checks on the northbound side too in the coming days.
“This will help us confirm the full extent of the repairs needed and set timescales for reopening the bridge for customers.
“We’re working closely with our passenger and freight operators and have confirmed with them that the line will remain closed until at least February 7.
“We’ll reopen the railway between Stonehaven and Montrose as quickly as we can and will be able to give a further update on timescales later next week.”