Urgent repair works caused delays and forced commuters and day-trippers onto buses yesterday on the ScotRail Oban and Fort William lines to Glasgow.
A gap in the track near Ardlui caused closure of the line from Crianlarich to Glasgow Queen Street, with Network Rail issuing engineers to the site to carry out repair works.
A spokesperson for Network Rail said: “We have engineers on site working to pack the void with stone and will then relay new ballast (the small stones under the track) and check the alignment of the sleepers and rails.
“The railway has been subject to movement here since it was built. There have been earth tremors and geological movements associated with this fault in the vicinity of the railway for a number of years.
UPDATE: Engineers on site near #Ardlui still working hard to repair and fill the sinkhole under the railway. Replacement buses remain in operation. ^CT pic.twitter.com/YeQMJqKI8D
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) April 11, 2018
“We have remote monitoring equipment installed to measure movement and we also carry out frequent alterations to track alignment to compensate for small changes in the landscape.”
Buses were charted on behalf of ScotRail to replace trains between Glasgow Queen Street and Crianlarich in both directions. Services from Oban and Fort William ran as normal to Crianlarich, before commuters switched form of transport to complete the final leg of their journey.
The line reopened yesterday afternoon with the 1605 Mallaig – Glasgow Queen Street and the 1638 Glasgow Queen Street – Oban the first services to run past Crianlarich. Early morning commuters from Inverness to Aberdeen also faced disruptions to travel as signalling issues at Inverurie seen temporary suspension of the Inverness – Aberdeen line. ScotRail informed commuters via social media around 6:25am that the line had been suspended before a further announcement was issued at 8:50am where service normal service was resumed for the Inverness – Aberdeen line.
A ScotRail Alliance spokesperson said: “We apologise to customers who are affected by this disruption, and understand their frustration when these things happen.
“Anyone who has been delayed by 30 minutes or more is entitled to compensation under our Delay Repay scheme. To claim, simply keep hold of our ticket and visit scotrail.co.uk.”
