Kyle of Lochalsh - light railway proposal

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From the Press and Journal

Network Rail says "no plans" for Kyle line to become tramway

The agency responsible for running the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)’s railways has held informal talks about the possibility of turning a scenic Highland line into a light railway.

But Network Rail warned the proposal would raise a number of safety issues – as well as needing "substantial" money behind it.

The Press and Journal has previously revealed that Highland Council are giving serious consideration to proposals to change the railway in order to create a tramway system at Stromeferry.

Background - the railway line from (Inverness and) Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh and road along the southern shore of Loch Carron share the shoreline above which cliffs prone to rock slides tower.   It's been that way since the road was constructed (about 50 years ago?) - prior to that a ferry operated across the Loch, and there was just the railway.

In order to keep (re)open the road after a slide on at least one past occasion, the railway line was temporarily converted into a tramway style, with rails laid on a temporary road surface, along which road vehicles were allowed to drive when no train was present.   Interestingly, a similar thing was done in past generations at the Connell Ferry Bridge over the Falls of Lorna, which featured in my Christmas day quiz

[John R]

From the Press and Journal

Network Rail says "no plans" for Kyle line to become tramway

The agency responsible for running the UK^▸ (United Kingdom)’s railways has held informal talks about the possibility of turning a scenic Highland line into a light railway.

But Network Rail warned the proposal would raise a number of safety issues – as well as needing "substantial" money behind it.

The Press and Journal has previously revealed that Highland Council are giving serious consideration to proposals to change the railway in order to create a tramway system at Stromeferry.

Background - the railway line from (Inverness and) Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh and road along the southern shore of Loch Carron share the shoreline above which cliffs prone to rock slides tower.   It's been that way since the road was constructed (about 50 years ago?) - prior to that a ferry operated across the Loch, and there was just the railway.

In order to keep (re)open the road after a slide on at least one past occasion, the railway line was temporarily converted into a tramway style, with rails laid on a temporary road surface, along which road vehicles were allowed to drive when no train was present.   Interestingly, a similar thing was done in past generations at the Connell Ferry Bridge over the Falls of Lorna, which featured in my Christmas day quiz

Wasn't it the other way around, with the temporary road laid on the track?

[grahame]

Wasn't it the other way around, with the temporary road laid on the track?

Yes, it was ...