Train passengers faced disruption this evening due to a fallen tree on the line between Inverness and Aberdeen.
ScotRail said the obstruction was discovered between Elgin and Keith and was a “substantial size”.
NEW: A tree is blocking the railway between Elgin & Keith. It’s a substantial size and requires @NetworkRailScot‘s #chainsawgang to attend. The line is closed until then I’m afraid. ^CT #StormCiara pic.twitter.com/7GEKcojD6c
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) February 8, 2020
The line was closed until a chainsaw team from Network Rail removed it.
The services affected were:
- The 6.20pm Aberdeen to Inverness service has been cancelled with further disruption expected.
- The 2.39pm Queen Street to Inverness via Aberdeen is being delayed at Huntly
- The 5.34pm Inverness to Aberdeen is being delayed at Elgin
- The 6:14pm Inverness to Aberdeen will be terminated at Nairn.
It will no longer call at Forres, Elgin, Keith, Huntly, Insch, Inverurie, Dyce and Aberdeen.
A replacement bus service was organised to run between Elgin and Huntly while there was also ticket acceptance in place with Stagecoach on service 10 between Aberdeen and Inverness.
A tweet from the company at 10pm said: “Our colleagues at Network Rail
have managed to move the tree and the line can now be opened again. We are working hard to get services running back to normal but some delays are still expected.”