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West Highland Line closed for nine days for £13m upgrade

Network Rail An aerial view of the West Highland Line with a viaduct over a stretch of land and water leading into a tunnelNetwork Rail
Various sections of the line will be improved

The West Highland Line has been closed for nine days for a £13m upgrade.

The scenic railway line, linking Glasgow to destinations including Oban and Mallaig, features the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct seen in the Harry Potter films.

Network Rail will carry out work at locations between Helensburgh, Fort William and Mallaig.

It said the work would tackle wear and tear, make the route more resilient in periods of severe weather and reduce the risk of delays and restrictions.

Drainage improvements

Buses have replaced trains between Crianlarich and Fort William/Mallaig until Tuesday 17 November.

Network Rail and train operators said they were working together to support local communities and passengers.

The project will renew more than 2.5 miles (4km) of worn track at locations between Helensburgh and Mallaig, including in tunnels at Loch nan Uamh and Beasdale.

Work will be carried out to drainage and culverts, including between Glen Douglas and Arrochar and Tarbet, to improve flood prevention measures.

Vegetation will also be cleared from along the line between Fort William and Arisaig.