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West Highland Line

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This article is about the present-day route. For the company's historical development, see West Highland Railway.
West Highland Line
A First ScotRail train to Fort William crossing Rannoch Moor in August 2007
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerNetwork Rail
Locale
Termini
Stations33
Service
TypeRural Rail[1]
SystemNational Rail
Operator(s)
Rolling stock
Technical
Line length
  • Glasgow Queen Street to Crianlarich: 59 miles 22 chains (95.4 km)
  • Crianlarich to Oban: 41 miles 73 chains (67.5 km)
  • Crianlarich to Fort William: 63 miles 14 chains (101.7 km)
  • Fort William to Mallaig: 41 miles 28 chains (66.5 km)
  • Total (including reversing at Fort William): 205 miles 57 chains (331.1 km)
Number of tracksSingle-track
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Operating speed70 mph (110 km/h) maximum[1]
Route map

(Click to expand)
Legend
 Kyle of Lochalsh
Duirinish
Plockton
Duncraig
Stromeferry
Attadale
Strathcarron
Achnashellach
Glencarron (c. 1964)
Achnasheen
Achanalt
Lochluichart
Garve
Achterneed (c. 1965)
Strathpeffer (c. 1946)
Far North Line
to Wick
 Dingwall Junction
Dingwall
Far North Line
to Inverness

The West Highland Line (Scottish Gaelic: Rathad Iarainn nan Eilean – "Iron Road to the Isles") is a railway line linking the ports of Mallaig and Oban in the Scottish Highlands to Glasgow in Central Scotland. The line was voted the top rail journey in the world by readers of independent travel magazine Wanderlust in 2009, ahead of the notable Trans-Siberian line in Russia and the Cuzco to Machu Picchu line in Peru.[2][3][4] The ScotRail website has since reported that the line has been voted the most scenic railway line in the world for the second year running.[5]

The West Highland Line is one of two railway lines that access the remote and mountainous west coast of Scotland, the other being the Kyle of Lochalsh Line which connects Inverness with Kyle of Lochalsh. The line is the westernmost railway line in Great Britain.

At least in part, the West Highland Line is the same railway line as that referred to as the West Highland Railway. MACAW MILL RUNNER TIRES!!!

Notes

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ a b Network Rail. "Delivering for You - Route Plans 2007" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 October 2012. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  2. ^ "Highland train line best in world". BBC News. 6 February 2009. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  3. ^ "Wanderlust Travel Awards announced". Wanderlust. 5 February 2009. Archived from the original on 1 August 2010. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  4. ^ Donnelly, Brian; Taylor, Marianne (6 February 2009). "Highland line voted world's most scenic train journey". The Herald. Archived from the original on 26 September 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  5. ^ "West Highland Railway Line | Oban | Fort William | Mallaig | ScotRail". www.scotrail.co.uk. Retrieved 23 February 2021.

Sources

  • Thomas, John (1965). The West Highland Railway. Newton Abbot: David and Charles (Publishers) Ltd. ISBN 0-7153-7281-5.
  • Thomas, John (1966). The Callander and Oban Railway (1st ed.). Newton Abbot, Devon: David & Charles. OCLC 2316816.
  • Thomas, John; Farrington, J.H. (1990). The Callander and Oban Railway (2nd ed.). Newton Abbot, Devon: David St John Thomas. OCLC 60059451.
  • Thomas, John (2000). The Callander and Oban Railway (3rd ed.). Newton Abbot, Devon: David St John Thomas. ISBN 0-9465-3761-5. OCLC 228266316.

Further reading

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to West Highland Line.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for West Highland Line.
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