ANUMBER of recent storms which have hit north east Scotland have damaged the sea wall adjacent to the railway line between Brora and Helmsdale.
Eighteen metres of the wall have been washed away in two locations and structural engineers for Network Rail have attended the site to assess options to repair the wall. Repairs are being made more complex because work can only take place at low tide.
Afurther complication is the area is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and permission is required from Scotland’s nature agency, NatureScot, to have specialist track machines and the stone needed to repair the wall delivered to site.
Until repairs have been completed, ScotRail services on the Far North Line will run between Inverness and Lairg, and a limited service between Wick and Forsinard, with rail replacement road transport running to supplement this.