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Rail works begin on Aberdeen-Inverness line


By Alistair Whitfield

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RAIL passengers are being reminded that engineers will be working from this Saturday until mid-August between Aberdeen and Inverurie.

From May 4 to August 19, the railway will undergo a series of closures to allow engineers to double the track between Dyce and Inverurie as well as upgrade bridges and improve signalling.

The following service alterations will be in place:

May 4–June 14: Buses replace trains between Dyce and Inverurie.

June 15–August 9: Buses replace trains between Dyce and Huntly.

August 10–August 12: Buses replace trains between Aberdeen and Inverness

August 13–August 19: Buses replace trains between Aberdeen and Huntly.

Over the 15 weeks, engineers will lay 10 miles of rail over nearly 40,000 sleepers and replace or refurbish 19 bridges on the line.

The work builds on the closure of the line between May and August 2018 which saw the successful completion of the first phase of double-tracking between Aberdeen and Dyce.

The Scottish Government is funding the project to improve rail services between Inverness and Aberdeen.

Benefits should include:

More services between Elgin and Inverness, increasing during 2019 until there is an hourly service all day, providing 1,300 additional seats.

A half-hourly service all day between Inverurie and Aberdeen during 2020, with extra services at peak times, providing 3,000 additional seats each day

Additional Elgin-Aberdeen early morning and late evening services.

InterCity trains operating between Aberdeen and Inverness, providing an extra 1,400 each day.

Billy McKay, Network Rail senior programme manager, said: “The Aberdeen-Inverness Improvement Project means more services and more seats for passengers.

"Our engineers will be working around-the-clock to complete this complex programme as quickly as possible.

“We understand the inconvenience the work will cause to some passengers and residents, but such a huge engineering project cannot be delivered without the closure of the line.

"We are encouraging customers to leave extra time for travel, and plan journeys in advance.”


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