Railway passengers using Inverness-Aberdeen line told disruption will run into a third day. ScotRail issue warning after flooding washed away track between Elgin and Forres earlier this week
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A WASHED away section of railway track is set to bring disruption for passengers on the Inverness-Aberdeen line for the second day running –- and rail chiefs have warned that a third day of misery is likely.
Part of the track has been damaged between Forres and Elgin – with services out of Inverness terminating in Forres, and journeys from Aberdeen ending at Elgin.
Bus replacements have been put in place to ferry passengers between the two Moray towns for ongoing travel.
There is currently no word on when the track might be repaired, but ScotRail has warned that the damage will disrupt services for the whole of Thursday and Friday.
Engineers have also warned that water levels are still too high for them to carry out the full inspections needed to ascertain the amount of damage – and the scale of repair required.
Speaking earlier on Thursday morning, Network Rail Scotland said: "As the water levels there are currently three metres higher than during previous flooding, we don't have an estimate on how much work will be required to reopen the line."
ScotRail, meanwhile, has warned that delays will run until at least the end of Friday. They said: "Because of a river flooding the railway between Forres and Elgin all lines are closed. Disruption is expected until the end of the day on December 11.
"Our staff have carried out inspections as best they can given the current circumstances and have discovered some of the track has been washed away between Elgin and Forres. Further inspections are required to be carried out but water levels are still too high to do this.
"Until all inspections have been carried out we will not be able to gauge the full extent of the damage, the estimate for repairs to be completed and line reopened."
