Obstruction on the line between Perth & Dunkeld

[D6130]

Arrived at Inverness station half an hour ago to catch the 07 55 to Kings Cross and was very much looking forward to my LNER full breakfast.

Unfortunately the train has been cancelled - as has the Northbound Caledonian Sleeper from Edinburgh - due to an obstruction on the line between Perth and Dunkeld. ScotRail staff at the station say that there's been a road traffic accident....which to me either implies that a vehicle has been hit by a train on a level crossing, or a vehicle has gone through a fence or bridge parapet and down onto the line.

Does anyone have any further details? Hoping that nobody has been injured....or worse.

 

[styles]

Network Rail saying that due to its location the vehicle will need crane lifting off the tracks, so presumably not the middle of a level crossing: https://x.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1965993855217529238

Network Rail Scotland
@NetworkRailSCOT
·
44m
Afraid not, we need to use a crane to lift it clear of the track, due to the location. We have one on the way to site now to do this.

 

[brad465]

Arrived at Inverness station half an hour ago to catch the 07 55 to Kings Cross and was very much looking forward to my LNER full breakfast. Unfortunately the train has been cancelled - as has the Northbound Caledonian Sleeper from Edinburgh - due to an obstruction on the line between Perth and Dunkeld. ScotRail staff at the station say that there's been a road traffic accident....which to me either implies that a vehicle has been hit by a train on a level crossing, or a vehicle has gone through a fence or bridge parapet and down onto the line. Does anyone have any further details? Hoping that nobody has been injured....or worse.

According to NRE, if you can get to Pitlochry a coach will get you to Edinburgh, where that LNER service will start. If you can't make that Edinburgh service, then you're valid on any service 2 hours later (or earlier) as well:

Incident: Kingussie | National Rail

Disruption between Inverness and Perth: no trains between Pitlochry and Perth until approximately 12:00. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Description​

A road vehicle blocking the railway between Dunkeld & Birnam and Perth means all lines are closed between these stations. Trains are currently unable to run between Pitlochry and Perth.

A limited ScotRail train service may run between Inverness and Pitlochry with delays of up to 15 minutes.

Long distance services for Caledonian Sleeper and LNER may be cancelled or held at Edinburgh.

Disruption is expected until approximately 12:00.

Advice for LNER customers:

The 07:55 Inverness to London Kings Cross service will now start from Edinburgh. It will not call at Inverness, Aviemore, Kingussie, Pitlochry, Perth, Gleneagles, Stirling, Falkirk Grahamston or Haymarket.

If you are wishing to travel to Edinburgh, a coach will depart Pitlochry at approximately 10:30. This will call at all stations between Pitlochry and Edinburgh and will be provided by ACS Coaches.

You can travel on any LNER service departing up to 2 hours before or after the cancelled service or on either of the two LNER services before or after this train, whichever is most appropriate to help you to complete your journey. Tickets will be valid on any required connecting services too so that you can reach your destination without further inconvenience.

Additionally, you may use your ticket on ScotRail services between Inverness and Pitlochry at no extra cost, if it will help you with your journey.

You can make a new reservation for LNER services on the LNER app.

As it happens I'm hoping to do the Chieftain myself tomorrow so will be hoping they don't have trouble clearing this.

 

[4COR]

Looks like a car may have come down an embankment next to an overbridge from this image on twitter from NR Scotland (image is screenshot of tweet with image showing a small red car obstructing one running rail, with the car bumper detached and in the opposite 6 foot.)

https://x.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1966041936042864651?t=_2wIzSxHGCdY33c4ujs3tw&s=19



Text from tweet: (08:30, 11/Sep/25)

08:30. We're now working with recovery colleagues to remove the vehicle from the track, lifting it clear of the railway. We'll share a further update shortly.

 

[styles]

An aerial view of the car:

I suspect it is this bridge just west of the A9: https://maps.app.goo.gl/o1ndJCDq74jLHQxx5

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

Another aerial shot.

Looks like they haven't taken the corner at the north end of the bridge well, managed to avoid the bridge wall and the metal gate, and smash through this wooden fence.



Being lifted now apparently.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

The Courier have picked it up: https://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/news/5329578/dunkeld-perth-trains-cancelled-vehicle-railway/

The Courier’s reporter Finn Nixon, who is at the scene, said: “A small red car looks to have crashed through a fence near a narrow railway bridge.

“The windscreen has been smashed and Network Rail workers are at the scene.

“The bridge carries traffic along a narrow road and is just after a sharp bend.

“There is mud on the road, but no signs of any skid marks. A police car has just arrived at the scene.”

One man who lives in a house near the scene told The Courier he heard recovery vehicles arriving at around 5.30am.

The man, who did not want to be named, said: “A car apparently hits (the wall) just about every year.

“This has gone a bit further.

“We’ve not actually been here a year yet, but this is the second one.

“It’s a fairly common thing, it seems.

“It’s usually when there’s ice because that bit gets really cold, and it’s just after a long straight.”

 

[38Cto15E]

Back in the day the 0755 would have gone south via Aberdeen, that happened to me once on the Clansman.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Firstly I hope the occupants of the car haven't suffered serious injuries. (Although I question whether they were possibly drunk at the time)

I'm curious in this scenario how long it would take someone involved in a car accident where they've ended up blocking the line to get the message through to Network Rail to block the line before any trains came along. Would a 999 call operator be able to contact them directly?

 

[godfreycomplex]

Back in the day the 0755 would have gone south via Aberdeen, that happened to me once on the Clansman.

It did but empty

 

[styles]

Firstly I hope the occupants of the car haven't suffered serious injuries. (Although I question whether they were possibly drunk at the time)

I'm curious in this scenario how long it would take someone involved in a car accident where they've ended up blocking the line to get the message through to Network Rail to block the line before any trains came along. Would a 999 call operator be able to contact them directly?

According to The Courier, no major injuries, which is remarkable really.

999 will be well versed in connecting to the Network Rail emergency line and getting the line blocked. Without an accurate location they may take a conservative approach on how much line to block, though you'd hope the driver would have some sort of idea where they are.

In the absence of ice last night, my guess (but this is pure speculation) is the driver was impaired e.g. through drink or drugs, distracted e.g. by their mobile phone, or suffered a medical event. Given it happened in the early hours, one is a bit more likely than at midday for example..

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Sep 2025 ==

Line reopening, no damage to tracks.

 

[ainsworth74]

It did but empty

Interesting! Was it route conducted? I didn't think any LNER drivers signed Inverness - Aberdeen?

 

[voyagerdude220]

According to The Courier, no major injuries, which is remarkable really.

999 will be well versed in connecting to the Network Rail emergency line and getting the line blocked. Without an accurate location they may take a conservative approach on how much line to block, though you'd hope the driver would have some sort of idea where they are.

In the absence of ice last night, my guess (but this is pure speculation) is the driver was impaired e.g. through drink or drugs, distracted e.g. by their mobile phone, or suffered a medical event. Given it happened in the early hours, one is a bit more likely than at midday for example..

Thanks for the information. I suspected both of your points would be the case.

 

[godfreycomplex]

Interesting! Was it route conducted?

It was indeed (by ScotRail)

 

[ainsworth74]

It was indeed (by ScotRail)

Shame they couldn't get a conductor to route conduct and run it in service to at least Aberdeen.

 

[enginedin]

The photos are messing with my spatial reasoning I'd also assumed that it was the same bridge that @styles did before even seeing this thread

- the Network Rail photo (https://x.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1966041936042864651?t=_2wIzSxHGCdY33c4ujs3tw&s=19) shows the car on the left hand side of the track after a bridge. If it is this bridge, and if the car was travelling north bound, then that photo would only make sense if either the photo was flipped (which would be a weird thing to do - most phones would only do this in selfie-mode), or the car had managed to totally spin after crashing over the tracks (not impossible I guess, but I'd assumed the track would stop the car as it rolled down the embankment)
- the photo also shows a relatively sharp right bend after the bridge; again, if the car was travelling northbound and there has been photo trickery, I guess it's just the depth perception which is showing the quite gentle right hand curve going into the tunnel as being closer and sharper than I'd expect...

 

[godfreycomplex]

Shame they couldn't get a conductor to route conduct and run it in service to at least Aberdeen.

It is possible but it would probably have ended up 3+ hours late at the Waverley. Bear in mind the train wouldn’t have a path so would likely have to wait for single line sections all the way to Aberdeen

 

[hexagon789]

It is possible but it would probably have ended up 3+ hours late at the Waverley. Bear in mind the train wouldn’t have a path so would likely have to wait for single line sections all the way to Aberdeen

The unit (800111) appears to be going forward as the 1530 Edinburgh to London King's Cross - that's 4 hours after the usual Up Chieftain departure off Edinburgh Waverley at 1130.

 

[Straus]

Looks like a car may have come down an embankment next to an overbridge from this image on twitter from NR Scotland (image is screenshot of tweet with image showing a small red car obstructing one running rail, with the car bumper detached and in the opposite 6 foot.)

https://x.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1966041936042864651?t=_2wIzSxHGCdY33c4ujs3tw&s=19

View attachment 188268

Text from tweet: (08:30, 11/Sep/25)

Pedantic but thats a cutting, an embankment is built up.

 

[GordonT]

The unit (800111) appears to be going forward as the 1530 Edinburgh to London King's Cross - that's 4 hours after the usual Up Chieftain departure off Edinburgh Waverley at 1130.

LNER are running an 1130 ex Edinburgh to Kings Cross in the Chieftain's path.

 

[styles]

The photos are messing with my spatial reasoning I'd also assumed that it was the same bridge that @styles did before even seeing this thread

- the Network Rail photo (https://x.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1966041936042864651?t=_2wIzSxHGCdY33c4ujs3tw&s=19) shows the car on the left hand side of the track after a bridge. If it is this bridge, and if the car was travelling north bound, then that photo would only make sense if either the photo was flipped (which would be a weird thing to do - most phones would only do this in selfie-mode), or the car had managed to totally spin after crashing over the tracks (not impossible I guess, but I'd assumed the track would stop the car as it rolled down the embankment)
- the photo also shows a relatively sharp right bend after the bridge; again, if the car was travelling northbound and there has been photo trickery, I guess it's just the depth perception which is showing the quite gentle right hand curve going into the tunnel as being closer and sharper than I'd expect...

It looks like they were heading south across the bridge, so they crashed off the NW side of the bridge before actually reaching the bridge.

The fence they've managed to hit and break through is barely wider than a lot of modern cars.

Not sure why the photos appear flipped!

 

[hexagon789]

LNER are running an 1130 ex Edinburgh to Kings Cross in the Chieftain's path.

They usually do manage to run something in the path from Edinburgh when the Chieftain is heavily delayed/cancelled coming down from Inverness.

 

[ainsworth74]

It is possible but it would probably have ended up 3+ hours late at the Waverley. Bear in mind the train wouldn’t have a path so would likely have to wait for single line sections all the way to Aberdeen

Fair point! I suppose it's my inner preference for rail travel coming through even if it's slower than getting a coach partway!

 

[enginedin]

It looks like they were heading south across the bridge, so they crashed off the NW side of the bridge before actually reaching the bridge.

sorry, I agree - the orientation of the bridge / road at that point confuses things a little; it's probably better to describe the road as east-west orientation

 

[zwk500]

The photos are messing with my spatial reasoning I'd also assumed that it was the same bridge that @styles did before even seeing this thread

- the Network Rail photo (https://x.com/NetworkRailSCOT/status/1966041936042864651?t=_2wIzSxHGCdY33c4ujs3tw&s=19) shows the car on the left hand side of the track after a bridge. If it is this bridge, and if the car was travelling north bound, then that photo would only make sense if either the photo was flipped (which would be a weird thing to do - most phones would only do this in selfie-mode), or the car had managed to totally spin after crashing over the tracks (not impossible I guess, but I'd assumed the track would stop the car as it rolled down the embankment)
- the photo also shows a relatively sharp right bend after the bridge; again, if the car was travelling northbound and there has been photo trickery, I guess it's just the depth perception which is showing the quite gentle right hand curve going into the tunnel as being closer and sharper than I'd expect...

The post on the right-hand side of the fence seems to be far more substantial than than the other two posts visible, and the damage on the car seems to be slightly more towards the front-right corner. If the car made contact with the substantial post it's very easy to see how it could have been rotated on the way down.

 

[styles]

sorry, I agree - the orientation of the bridge / road at that point confuses things a little; it's probably better to describe the road as east-west orientation

Yeah I struggled with how best to describe their direction as well! It's a N/S dog leg on an otherwise E/W road!

 

[enginedin]

Not sure why the photos appear flipped!

actually, the photo can't be flipped, otherwise the curve in the rail would be the other way round too (*that's* what was confusing me!), so either the car did spin, or it was travelling east-bound

 

[styles]

actually, the photo can't be flipped, otherwise the curve in the rail would be the other way round too (*that's* what was confusing me!), so either the car did spin, or it was travelling east-bound

Yeah I'm wondering if the car just rotated on the way down.

 

[4COR]

Yeah I'm wondering if the car just rotated on the way down.

I suspect it's gone nose first into somewhere near the rail on the right in the NR photo, deposited part of the bumper there and then "flipped" over the 4 foot landing on the other side. There's debris (soil?) over the 4 foot too. A lucky escape!

 

[Bald Rick]

Line reopened.

 

[D6130]

Thanks for the info everyone. In the end I decided to take the two car 08 56 INV-ABD, which was a bit cosy, but not as bad as I had expected....because Inverness Travel Centre were strongly encouraging pax heading South to take the 08 41 to Pitlochry and then replacement bus to Perth, which I didn't fancy! Now on 12 07 ABD-EDB ScotRail HST and have a reservation on the 15 00 from there.

 

[InOban]

When Google took their pictures it's clear that there had been recent thorough devegetation of the sides of the cutting. Hasn't taken long to regrow!