Rail passengers across the Highlands and Islands face significant disruption this weekend as Storm Boelo brings severe winds and heavy rain, forcing precautionary closures on some of Scotland’s most important railway routes.
ScotRail has confirmed that services on the Far North Line and the Kyle of Lochalsh line will be affected on Sunday 25 October, while West Highland services face closures from Saturday night.
With wind gusts widely expected to exceed 60mph and potentially reach 80mph in exposed areas, Network Rail has decided to close vulnerable sections of the network to protect passengers and railway staff.
On the Far North Line, services between Helmsdale and Wick or Thurso will be suspended from the start of service on Sunday.
Trains between Kyle of Lochalsh and Achnashellach will also be suspended from Sunday morning, affecting one of the Highlands’ most scenic and important rural railway connections.
Further south, the West Highland Line will close between Fort William and Mallaig from approximately 10pm on Saturday, with services between Crianlarich and Oban also suspended.
The Glasgow Central to Ayr route will close between Kilwinning and Ayr from 9pm on Saturday.
Speed restrictions will be introduced across much of Scotland’s railway network from late Saturday night and throughout Sunday, meaning trains that continue operating may take considerably longer than usual.
ScotRail has warned that restrictions on the Far North Line could remain in place into Monday morning.
The closures come as the Met Office warns that Storm Boelo could bring damaging winds, fallen trees, flooding and widespread transport disruption across northern and western Scotland.
Before affected railway lines can reopen, Network Rail engineers will need to inspect tracks and surrounding infrastructure for storm damage, fallen trees, debris and flooding.
That means services cannot necessarily resume immediately when the weather begins to improve.
ScotRail Service Delivery Director Mark Ilderton said:
“Safety is always our top priority, and with Storm Boelo expected to bring strong winds and heavy rain across Scotland this weekend, we’re preparing for disruption to our train services.
“We know this will be frustrating for customers, particularly those with plans to travel over the weekend, but these precautionary measures are essential to keep everyone safe.
“We’ll be working closely with Network Rail throughout the storm, and our teams will do everything possible to get services moving again as soon as it’s safe to do so.
“It’s important to stress that the planned reopening times are subject to safety checks being completed, so we’d encourage customers to make sure they have the latest version of the ScotRail app and check their journey before setting off.”
ScotRail has introduced additional flexibility for passengers holding tickets dated Saturday 24 or Sunday 25 October.
Those customers may use their tickets on any service operating on Saturday, or retain them for travel once the affected routes reopen, including Monday 26 October.
Passengers are being encouraged to make alternative arrangements where possible and allow extra time for journeys that remain available.
ScotRail has also released an updated version of its mobile app to help customers access the latest service information.
With the strongest winds expected from Saturday evening through Sunday, travellers are advised to check services immediately before leaving home rather than relying on previously published timetables.
