Should the Highland Mainline be electrified / redoubled?

[TrainViation]

Moderator note: Split from

Dundee electrification plans

Delivery times for these are quite lengthy. No doubt the 3 units are in safe storage at Cadder until the Fife Circle or ACB schemes are authorised for installation. Not currently authorised. The other could possibly be for Dundee. mods note - split from this thread...

www.railforums.co.uk

This is the information I have/had in a Word document rather than map format

Recent or Existing Scottish Grid Feeders

Currie - new or improved to be built?
Portobello
Innerwick
Harker (just on the UK side)
Ecclefechan
Elvanfoot
Gowkthrapple
Saltcoats
Dalreoch
Port Glasgow
Parkhead

Planned for Decarbonisation Strategy

Thornton - applied for
Invergowrie - now Dundee
Drumlithie
Kintore
Elgin
Beauly
Avielochan
Faskally
Greenloaning
Marshall Meadows (just on the English side) - Static Frequency Converter?

Come to think of it, I feel like electrifying the Highland Mainline is a bit of a lost cause for what the benefits of electrification are at the minute.

I'm completely advocating for electrification, but I think if possible double tracking a lot of the route would be a better way to boost capacity and speed up services. As less time is wasted, waiting in passing places, for trains to pass. Though I'd imagine if it did ever happen, the wires would be up to Aberdeen by then, and most likely Dunblane to Dundee would be electrified (2035 roughly).

Not sure how freight would work with partial/discontinuous electrification though, as diesels will be a thing of the past supposedly, and battery/hydrogen would be completely inviable energy sources. They'd have to do something about it, and hopefully it's full electrification.

 

[MadMac]

Come to think of it, I feel like electrifying the Highland Mainline is a bit of a lost cause for what the benefits of electrification are at the minute. I'm completely advocating for electrification, but I think *if possible* double tracking a lot of the route would be a better way to boost capacity and speed up services. As less time is wasted, waiting in passing places, for trains to pass. Though I'd imagine if it did ever happen, the wires would be up to Aberdeen by then, and most likely Dunblane to Dundee would be electrified (2035 roughly).

Not sure how freight would work with partial/discontinuous electrification though, as diesels will be a thing of the past supposedly, and battery/hydrogen would be completely inviable energy sources. They'd have to do something about it, and hopefully it's full electrification.

How much of the HML was double to begin with?

 

[hwl]

Come to think of it, I feel like electrifying the Highland Mainline is a bit of a lost cause for what the benefits of electrification are at the minute. I'm completely advocating for electrification, but I think *if possible* double tracking a lot of the route would be a better way to boost capacity and speed up services. As less time is wasted, waiting in passing places, for trains to pass. Though I'd imagine if it did ever happen, the wires would be up to Aberdeen by then, and most likely Dunblane to Dundee would be electrified (2035 roughly).

You'll be in for a shock with what the 222s will do to the HML timings which will optimise the single track and passing situation better in many cases leaving only one obvious (and easy) bit of re-doubling that stands out as being worth while.

 

[TrainViation]

How much of the HML was double to begin with?

The vast vast majority. I can't, find any figures, but I know atleast 70% of it is single track and it's bound to be more. Minus through stations and the odd passing loop.

 

[Brubulus]

You'll be in for a shock with what the 222s will do to the HML timings which will optimise the single track and passing situation better in many cases leaving only one obvious (and easy) bit of re-doubling that stands out as being worth while.

How much will they reduce journey times? Secondly where is the bit of redoubling that will stand out as worthwhile?

 

[InOban]

AFAIK the only substantial section which was once double but isn't now is from Culloden to Daviot. There are also some passing loops which may only date to WW2 when the route was full of military trains. I would have thought that a major constraint is that between Perth and Edinburgh /Glasgow which determines the times at which trains enter and leave the HML Any new double sections would need to be ,located where trains would naturally cross.

 

[reecestrains]

The only sections of the HML that are currently double track are Perth-Stanley Junction, Blair Atholl to Dalwhinnie and after Culloden Viaduct to Inverness if you don't count the stations and passing loops.

Plus I feel electrification won't happen for a very long time, probably would be one of the last if it did ever get electrified.

 

[Falcon1200]

How much of the HML was double to begin with?

The vast vast majority.

The only part of the HML which was double track but is now single is, as mentioned above, Daviot to Culloden - A distance of less than 5 miles, singled in 1968. Blair Atholl/Dalwhinnie was singled in 1966 but redoubled in 1978. There were certainly more passing loops but while helping capacity they would not do much for journey times.

 

[Dr Day]

What's the problem investment in the HML would solve? How much extra frequency or journey time or reliability improvement would make enough of a difference for a significant number of trips (passenger or freight) to switch to rail?

The reason I generally drive to the Highlands is primarily because I need a car to get around once I'm there, not because there aren't enough trains or they are too slow (or even that they are too expensive).

 

[Magdalia]

Blair Atholl/Dalwhinnie was singled in 1966 but redoubled in 1978. There were certainly more passing loops but while helping capacity they would not do much for journey times.

Redoubling Blair Atholl-Dalwhinnie was for increased freight traffic at the start of North Sea Oil.

The same project also included reinstating passing loops at Kincraig, Schlod and Moy.

 

[jadmor]

Redoubling Blair Atholl-Dalwhinnie was for increased freight traffic at the start of North Sea Oil.

The same project also included reinstating passing loops at Kincraig, Schlod and Moy.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Aug 2025 ==

Deleted, question already answered above.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I feel that at stations there should be at least one mile of double track/passing loop at each end of every station. That surely would help.

 

[Acfb]

Having just been to Dunkeld & Birnam today, I was wondering how much it would cost to make every station on the HML properly accessible in terms of lifts etc. (Or a 'cheaper' ramp etc) Of course with the existing irregular timetable some northbound trains use platform 1 anyway like they do at other stations.

More doubling would be useful if it could result in more Inverness-Edinburgh direct services and better reliability

 

[al78]

The reason I generally drive to the Highlands is primarily because I need a car to get around once I'm there, not because there aren't enough trains or they are too slow (or even that they are too expensive).

You have the option of hiring a car if you are going to a sizable populated area, but train plus hire car is by far the most expensive way to travel to and around the highlands (I know because I have done it that way).

 

[brad465]

Some extended double track between Aviemore and Culloden would be useful for trying to stop having passenger trains sit in the Tomatin loop, which has no station. Perhaps one long dynamic loop between Carrbridge and Tomatin would cover this.

 

[HighlandStorm]

Some extended double track between Aviemore and Culloden would be useful for trying to stop having passenger trains sit in the Tomatin loop, which has no station. Perhaps one long dynamic loop between Carrbridge and Tomatin would cover this.

That would involve some serious work with large single track viaducts either side of Slochd Summit.

However the bridge replacement a few years ago at Moy allows for a future double formation as will the new bridge carrying the A9 over the HML at Moy - so the potential for a longer Moy loop and clearance for electrification is being done as part of the A9 dualling.

Given the number of trains that need to stop at Moy Tomatin what cost would be required to reopen Tomatin station and have a park and ride facility there?

 

[47421]

In 2018/19 £57million was spent on loop extensions/improvements at Pitlochry & Aviemore. This was to accommodate an hourly service with passing at Pitlochry, the double track section at Drumochter and Aviemore. As we all know the hourly timetable was never implemented. Doesn't mean there should not be other investment, but given infrastructure is today not at capacity you can see it will be difficult to make the investment case

 

[AlastairFraser]

I'm completely advocating for electrification, but I think if possible double tracking a lot of the route would be a better way to boost capacity and speed up services. As less time is wasted, waiting in passing places, for trains to pass. Though I'd imagine if it did ever happen, the wires would be up to Aberdeen by then, and most likely Dunblane to Dundee would be electrified (2035 roughly).

I will preface this by saying that I am a complete amateur, so please take my ideas with a large pinch of salt, but these are my thoughts!

Dunblane to Perth and Dundee would definitely be a good first step, but I think the future for the HML is discontinuous electrification.
By the time the HML is likely to be on the list for electrification, feasible battery ranges to cover the gaps between wired section is likely going to be 75 miles plus.

The way Inverness is growing, it may need a suburban fleet, with regional BEMUs of a similar design but with larger batteries. These may benefit from charging on the Highland Main Line, so maybe the 3.5 miles from Inverness to Culloden would be smart to start with (plus Inverness to Beauly/Nairn on the Far North/Aberdeen lines, respectively).

It's close to 25 miles from Culloden to Carrbridge, and it's around 7 miles from Carrbridge to Aviemore.
This would perhaps seem to be a good section to electrify - it's relatively high density for the Highlands, so not too rural, and Aviemore gets stops on all Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness services AFAIK, so a good place to pick up some extra charge during the stop.

From Aviemore to Dalwhinnie, it is another 25 miles.
I would wire Dalwhinnie to Blair Atholl as my last major wiring section - while it is nearly 24 miles from Dalwhinnie to Blair Atholl, it is probably best for units to be able to charge on the long double track section, especially given the summit of the line is between these 2 stations, and it might enable the absence of a wired section as far as Perth.

Finally, from Blair Atholl to Perth, it is around 35 miles. Maybe this is too much for a section without wires if you're operating with intercity 100mph OHLE/battery BEMUs, but with a 75 mile + battery range that my plans are predicated on, and a continuously wired section from Glasgow/Edinburgh to Perth under my plans (mostly already wired now), that would be less than half of the battery capacity used for northbound trains, and hopefully the rate of charge along the Dalwhinnie to Blair Atholl wired section is fast enough that southbound trains would be able to add enough charge to cover at least 40-45 miles for contingency.

 

[brad465]

That would involve some serious work with large single track viaducts either side of Slochd Summit.

However the bridge replacement a few years ago at Moy allows for a future double formation as will the new bridge carrying the A9 over the HML at Moy - so the potential for a longer Moy loop and clearance for electrification is being done as part of the A9 dualling.

Given the number of trains that need to stop at Moy Tomatin what cost would be required to reopen Tomatin station and have a park and ride facility there?

Tomatin is quite a way out for a Park and Ride facility, assuming this is for getting into Inverness.

 

[stevieinselby]

Tomatin is quite a way out for a Park and Ride facility, assuming this is for getting into Inverness.

It would limit use to people coming from A9(S), and be no use to anyone coming to Inverness from other directions – but more to the point, if you're only running an hourly service at best then you're not running a Park & Ride service, you're running a train service to a station with a car park. Park & Ride has to be a frequent service to be effective and attractive. People are not going to come off a fast road to catch a train that takes longer than driving even when it arrives but might have an hour's wait for it just to turn up.

 

[numtot12345]

Article hidden behind a paywall so can't properly quote or see the details, however just going off the headline...

Obviously dualling and electrification would be a game-changer, however given rail priorities elsewhere, plus on-going investment in dualling the A9, I can't imagine these calls will gain much traction.

"It would be a game changer": calls for Highland Main Line electrification and dualling

MSPs call for improvements to be made to the Highland Main Line, but ministers have said action will have to wait.

www.railmagazine.com

The Scottish government must “get spades in the ground” to dual and electrify the Highland Main Line, MSPs have demanded.

Politicians from across Scotland’s political spectrum have called for investment in the Perth to Inverness route. But SNP ministers said action would have to wait for a forthcoming report.

 

[The exile]

Am I imagining it or was electrification first proposed by the Highland Railway some time before the First World War?