More disruption for Tayside trains as line blocked north of Perth

By Neil Henderson

October 7 2022, 8:54am

A ScotRail train at Perth. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson

Tayside commuters are facing another day of disruption as flooding has blocked the railway line between Perth and Inverness.

Heavy rain is affecting the line at Dalwhinnie, meaning services between the central belt and Inverness are terminating at Perth.

ScotRail says disruption is now expected to continue until around 8am on Saturday.

⚠️ NEW: Due to heavy rain flooding the railway at Dalwhinnie, the line is currently closed. Train services from Glasgow/Edinburgh to Inverness will be terminated at and started back from Perth. All stations between Perth and Inverness will not be served. /1 https://t.co/InjiGxyDOK

— ScotRail (@ScotRail) October 7, 2022

A statement from the operator said: “Customers are able to travel on alternative routes via Aberdeen towards Inverness.

“We have also requested buses to assist with passenger journeys, however due to limited replacement transport being secured, passengers are advised to consider making alternative arrangements.”

Network Rail engineers are monitoring the situation and plan to carry out an inspection of the track once water levels drop to a safe level.

The cancellations are affecting Perth. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson.

Meanwhile ScotRail is also warning that reduced speed limits on the line mean services between Glasgow and Dundee, Arbroath and Perth are being delayed.

It is the latest disruption to face train passengers in Tayside and Fife with flooding one of the main causes.

Last Friday, several services were cancelled because of heavy rain and strong winds.

On Saturday, only one route was running across the region as rail staff took part in a strike.

Further rail disruption this weekend

Services between Arbroath and Dundee were cancelled on Monday because of a fault on the line.

And then on Tuesday, severe weather led to nearly 30 services between Glasgow and Tayside failing to run.

Travellers face even more disruption in the coming days.

A second wave of strike action this Saturday will mean no services across the region – except between Edinburgh and Dunfermline/Cowdenbeath – while on Monday no trains will run across Tayside and Fife at all.