View source for Highland Main Line

{{Short description|Railway line in Scotland}}
{{distinguish|text=the [[West Highland Line]]}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2018}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox rail line
| name                            = Highland Main Line
| color                           = 
| logo                            = 
| logo_width                      = 
| image                           = Pitlochry - Abellio 170430 arriving from Inverness.JPG
| image_width                     = 260px
| caption                         = An [[Abellio ScotRail]] train to [[Glasgow Queen Street railway station|Glasgow Queen Street]] approaching [[Pitlochry railway station|Pitlochry]] in July 2018
| type                            = [[Heavy rail]]
| system                          = [[National Rail]]
| status                          = Operational
| locale                          = [[Perth and Kinross]]<br>[[Highland (council area)|Highland]]<br>[[Scotland]]
| start                           = [[Perth railway station, Scotland|Perth]]
| end                             = [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]]
| stations                        = 10
| routes                          = 
| open                            = 
| close                           = 
| owner                           = [[Network Rail]]
| operator                        = [[ScotRail]]<br>[[London North Eastern Railway]]<br>[[Caledonian Sleeper]]
| character                       = 
| depot                           = 
| stock                           = [[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|Class 43 "HST"]]<br>[[British Rail Class 158|Class 158 "Express Sprinter"]]<br>[[British Rail Class 170|Class 170 "Turbostar"]]<br>[[British Rail Class 73|Class 73]]<br>[[British Rail Class 66|Class 66]]<br>[[British Rail Mark 5 (CAF)|Mark 5 Sleeping Cars]]<br>[[British Rail Class 800|Class 800 "Azuma"]]
| linelength                      = Perth to Inverness: {{convert|118|mi|9|chain|km|1}}
| tracklength                     = 
| gauge                           = {{RailGauge|sg}}
| speed                           = 
| elevation                       = 
| map                             = [[File:Highland Main Line.png|260px]]<br />([[:commons:File:Highland Main Line.png|Click to expand]])
| map_state                       = expanded
}}
{{Highland Main Line|collapse=y}}
The '''Highland Main Line''' is a railway line in [[Scotland]]. It is {{convert|118|mi|km|abbr=on}} long and runs through the central [[Scottish Highlands]], mainly following the route of the [[A9 road (Scotland)|A9]], and linking a series of small towns and villages with [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]] at one end and [[Inverness]] at the other. Today, services between Inverness and [[Edinburgh]], [[Glasgow]] and [[London]] use the line. At Inverness the line connects with the [[Far North Line]], the [[Aberdeen to Inverness Line|Aberdeen-Inverness Line]] and the [[Kyle of Lochalsh Line]]. 

Much of the Highland Main Line is [[Single track (rail)|single track]], and trains coming in opposite directions are often timed to arrive at stations at the same time, where [[Passing loop|crossing loops]] permit them to pass. Journey times between Inverness and Edinburgh or Glasgow are approximately three and a half hours.<ref name="traveltimes">Highland Main Line timetables at https://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/edinburgh_glasgow_-_inverness_0.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418043153/http://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/edinburgh_glasgow_-_inverness_0.pdf |date=18 April 2016 }}</ref>

== History ==
[[File:01roadandrail 20000900.jpg|thumb|left|Highland Main Line and [[A9 road (Scotland)|A9]] next to each other in [[Perthshire]], September 2000]]
[[File:Dalguise viaduct (geograph 3418380).jpg|thumb|left|The line crosses the [[Dalguise Viaduct]]]]
The vast majority of the line was built and operated by the [[Highland Railway]], with a small section of the line between Perth and [[Stanley, Perthshire|Stanley]] built by the [[Scottish Midland Junction Railway]], amalgamated with the [[Aberdeen Railway]] to become the [[Scottish North Eastern Railway]] in 1856, and then absorbed by the [[Caledonian Railway]] in 1866, which itself amalgamated with the Highland Railway and several others to create the [[London, Midland and Scottish Railway|LMS]] at the grouping in 1923. Originally, the line between Inverness and Perth went via [[Forres]], but the [[Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway]] was opened in 1898 to allow for a more direct routeing.

[[File:158703 at Drumochter Pass.jpg|thumb|left|158703 heads south through the Drumochter Pass in the snow]]
There are two significant summits on the line: [[Pass of Drumochter|Drumochter Summit]] (also spelled ''Druimuachdar'') (elevation {{convert|1484|ft|m}}) between [[Blair Atholl]] and [[Dalwhinnie]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Yonge |first=John |editor-last=Jacobs |editor-first=Gerald |title=Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man |edition=5th |date=December 2007 |orig-year=1987 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Bradford on Avon |isbn=978-0-9549866-3-6 |at=map 19B }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Baker |first=Stuart K. |title=Rail Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland |edition=14th |year=2015 |orig-year=1977 |publisher=Oxford Publishing Co |location=Addlestone |isbn=978-0-86093-669-5 |at=p. 60, section B2 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Vallance |first1=H.A. |last2=Clinker |first2=C.R. |last3=Lambert |first3=Anthony J. |title=The Highland Railway |edition=4th |year=1985 |orig-year=1938 |publisher=[[David & Charles]] |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0-946537-24-0 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/highlandrailway0000vall/page/13 13, 25, 115, 116, 118, 177, 197] |url=https://archive.org/details/highlandrailway0000vall/page/13 }}</ref> and [[Slochd Summit]] (elevation {{convert|1315|ft|m}}) between [[Carrbridge]] and [[Inverness]].<ref>{{harvnb|Yonge|2007|loc=map 19D}}</ref> Other distinct features on the route include the [[viaducts]] at [[Culloden Viaduct|Culloden]] and [[Tomatin]], the spectacular mountain pass at Drumochter and the severe gradients encountered in both directions, particularly the extended climb from Inverness to the Slochd summit which averages around 1 in 60 the whole way.

Initially the only double track was between Inverness and Daviot and also Stanley Junction and Perth. In the 1890s the single line working was improved with the replacement of telegraphing orders to trains along the line with staff and tablet control instruments. This was later upgraded to automatic token-exchange apparatus. However, the main improvement came with the doubling of sections of line, designed by the engineer [[Alexander Newlands]], beginning with Blair Atholl to Dalnacardoch ({{convert|8.25|mi|km}}) in 1900, extended to Druimuachdar ({{convert|8.5|mi|km}}) in 1901 and Dalwhinnie ({{convert|5.5|mi|km}}) in 1909.<ref name=Thomas>{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=John |last2=Turnock |first2=David |date=1989 |title=A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. Volume 15 North of Scotland |publisher=David St John Thomas |page=236 |isbn=0946537038}}</ref> In the 1960s, many sections of the line were converted from [[Double-track railway|double track]] to [[Single-track railway|single track]]. In 1976, {{convert|23|mi}} from Blair Atholl to Dalwhinnie was redoubled.<ref>Highland doubling ''[[The Railway Magazine]]'' issue 902 June 1976 page 277</ref><ref>Highland doubling starts ''The Railway Magazine'' issue 905 September 1976 page 476</ref> In March 2019 [[Network Rail]] completed a programme of works to increase capacity on the line and support the introduction of [[InterCity 125]] sets on ScotRail services, with passing loops and platforms extended.<ref>[https://www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/highland-main-line-upgrade-work-complete Highland main line upgrade work complete] Network Rail 28 March 2019</ref>

== Stations and services ==
As of 2020, there are stations on the line as follows:

{|class="wikitable"
! Places served !! All trains<br>stop?!! [[Ordnance Survey]]<br>[[British national grid reference system|grid reference]]!!Notes
|-
| [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]] ||Yes|| {{gbmappingsmall|NO112230}}
|-
| [[Dunkeld]] and [[Birnam, Perth and Kinross|Birnam]]||No || {{gbmappingsmall|NO030417}} || Shared station
|-
| [[Pitlochry]] ||Yes|| {{gbmappingsmall|NN937580}}
|-
| [[Blair Atholl]]||No || {{gbmappingsmall|NN870653}} 
|-
| [[Dalwhinnie]]||No || {{gbmappingsmall|NN634848}}
|-
| [[Newtonmore]]||No || {{gbmappingsmall|NN715984}}
|-
| [[Kingussie]] ||Yes|| {{gbmappingsmall|NH756003}}
|-
| [[Aviemore]]||Yes || {{gbmappingsmall|NH895123}}|| Connection with [[Strathspey Railway (preserved)|Strathspey Railway]]
|-
| [[Carrbridge]]||No || {{gbmappingsmall|NH899224}}
|-
| [[Inverness]]||Yes || {{gbmappingsmall|NH667454}}
|}

Services on the line are provided by [[ScotRail]] and [[London North Eastern Railway]]. A roughly two-hourly ScotRail service operates between [[Perth railway station, Scotland|Perth]] and [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]] throughout the day, On weekdays and Saturday's, There is 11 services in total in each direction, all running from/to either {{Stnlnk|Glasgow Queen Street}} (via [[Stirling railway station (Scotland)|Stirling]]) or {{Stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}} (via [[Kirkcaldy railway station|Kirkcaldy]]). The [[London North Eastern Railway]] service is entitled the ''[[Highland Chieftain]]''; it departs Inverness at 08:00 and runs to [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]] via the [[East Coast Main Line]], arriving in London at 16:00. The return working leaves London at 12:00 and reaches Inverness at 20:00. On Sunday's there is 7 trains each way, The journey time between Perth and Inverness takes between 2 hours and 2 hours and 20 minutes depending on the calling pattern and if the train is booked to be looped at any passing places.

The ''[[Caledonian Sleeper]]'' travels overnight between Inverness and [[Euston railway station|London Euston]] via the [[West Coast Main Line]]. The southbound train joins portions from [[Aberdeen railway station|Aberdeen]] and [[Fort William railway station|Fort William]] at Edinburgh Waverley, and similarly the northbound train divides there. South of Edinburgh it forms the longest [[locomotive]]-hauled passenger train in the United Kingdom, with 16 coaches. 

All trains between Perth and Inverness call at [[Pitlochry railway station|Pitlochry]], [[Kingussie railway station|Kingussie]] and [[Aviemore railway station|Aviemore]]. Most ScotRail services call at [[Dunkeld & Birnam railway station|Dunkeld & Birnam]] (9 north and 10 south) and at [[Blair Atholl railway station|Blair Atholl]] (8 north and 6 south), with the stations at [[Dalwhinnie railway station|Dalwhinnie]] (5 each way), [[Newtonmore railway station|Newtonmore(6 each way)]] and [[Carrbridge railway station|Carrbridge]](6 each way) being served less often. On Sundays, a couple of services continue through to [[Elgin railway station|Elgin]], calling at [[Nairn railway station|Nairn]] and [[Forres railway station|Forres]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/edinburgh_glasgow_-_inverness_0.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=5 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160418043153/http://www.scotrail.co.uk/sites/default/files/assets/download_ct/edinburgh_glasgow_-_inverness_0.pdf |archive-date=18 April 2016 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

{{wide image|Culloden Viaduct01 2007-08-22.jpg|900px|Panoramic view of the Highland Line [[Culloden Viaduct]] with a [[First ScotRail]] train on it}}

== Rolling stock ==
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Class
! rowspan="2" |Image
! rowspan="2" |Type
! rowspan="2" |Operator
! rowspan="2" |Route
! colspan="2" |Maximum Speed
! rowspan="2" |Builder/<br>built
! rowspan="2" |In service<br>on the line
! rowspan="2" |Leased from
! rowspan="2" |Other notes
|-
!mph
!km/h
|- 
|[[British Rail Class 43 (HST)|43]]
|[[File:43134 and 43148 at Pitlochry.jpg|120x120px|alt=]]
|[[Diesel locomotive]]
|rowspan="2"| [[ScotRail]]
|rowspan="2"| [[Glasgow Central station|Glasgow]]/[[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]] to [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]]
| rowspan="3" align="center" |125
| rowspan="3" align="center" |200
| [[British Rail Engineering Limited|BREL]] [[Crewe Works]] 1975–1982
|rowspan="2"| 2018–
|rowspan="2"| [[Angel Trains]]
|rowspan="2"|
* Operates under the brand ''Inter7City''.
* Fleet consists of 9 four-coach and 17 five-coach trains.
* 1 four coach train damaged in the [[Stonehaven derailment]].
|-
|[[British Rail Mark 3|Mark 3]]
|
[[File:ScotRailMk3.jpg|ScotRail refurbished Mk3 at Inverness, July 2020|120x120px|alt=]]
|[[British Rail Mark 3|Passenger carriage]]
| BREL [[Derby Litchurch Lane Works]] 1979-1980
|-
|[[British Rail Class 67|67]]
|[[File:67028 at Doncaster 220623 (52993632609).jpg|120x120px|alt=]]
|[[Diesel locomotive]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Caledonian Sleeper]]
|London Euston to Inverness<br>(Takes over from electric loco at Edinburgh)
|[[Alstom]] Valencia 1999-2000
|2023-
|[[DB Cargo UK]]
|Replaced Class 73/9 when their lease from DB Cargo UK Expired.
|-
|[[British Rail Mark 5 (CAF)|Mark 5 Passenger Coach]]
| rowspan="2" |[[File:CAF mk5 sleeper coach.jpg|120x120px]]
| rowspan="2" |[[Lounge car]]<br />[[Passenger car (rail)|Seated Sleeper]] <br> [[Sleeping car]]
| rowspan="2" |London Euston to Inverness
| rowspan="2" align="center" |100
| rowspan="2" align "center" |161
| rowspan="2" |[[Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles|CAF]] [[Beasain]] 2016-2018
| rowspan="2" |2019–
| rowspan="2" |Caledonian Sleeper Rail Leasing
|Replaced the Mark 2s
|-
|[[British Rail Mark 5 (CAF)|Mark 5 Sleeper Coach]]
|Replaced the Mark 3s
|-
| [[British Rail Class 158|158/0 ''Express Sprinter'']]
| [[File:Train at Tain (geograph 5928278).jpg|120x120px]]
| rowspan="3"| [[Diesel multiple unit|DMU]]
|rowspan="3"| [[ScotRail]]
| rowspan="3" | [[Glasgow Central station|Glasgow]]/[[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]] to [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]]
| align="center" |90
| align="center" |145
| BREL Derby Litchurch Lane Works 1989—1992
| 1990-
| rowspan="3" |[[Porterbrook]]
| rowspan="3" |
|-
|rowspan=2|[[British Rail Class 170|170/3 & 170/4 ''Turbostar'']]
|[[File:170396 at Inverkeithing, 08 May 2013.JPG|120x120px|alt=]]
|rowspan=2 align=center|100
|rowspan=2 align=center|161
| rowspan="2" | [[AdTranz]]/[[Bombardier Transportation]] Derby Litchurch lane Works 1998-2005 
| rowspan="2" | 1999-
|-
|[[File:Falkirk High - Abellio 170434 Glasgow service.JPG|120x120px]]
|-
| [[British Rail Class 800|Class 800 ''Azuma'']]
| [[File:Azuma 800103 travelling north at Ulgham Lane crossing.jpg|120x120px|alt=]]
| [[Bi-mode multiple unit]]
| [[London North Eastern Railway]]
| [[London King's Cross railway station|London King's Cross]]/[[Edinburgh Waverley railway station|Edinburgh]] to [[Inverness railway station|Inverness]]
| 125
| 200
| [[Hitachi Newton Aycliffe]] 2014-2018
| 2019–
| [[Agility Trains]]
| 
* Service is titled the ''[[Highland Chieftain]]''.
* Fleet consists of 10 five-coach and 13 nine-coach trains.
|}

==Usage==
Station usage at some stations remain stable. Overall usage on the line comparing April 2003 to April 2010 has increased 154%.

{{UKsta-u|
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Perth|stndab=Scotland|u1=641,822|u2=694,527|u3=700,509
|u4=763,415
|u5=886,748
|u6=888,586
|u7=929,282
|u8=959,310
|u9=975,364
|u10=988,795
|u11=1,077,598
|u12=1,077,598
|u13=1,146,000
|u14=1,081,000
|u15=1,117,248
|u16=1,112,068
|u17=1,059,278
|u18=181,454
|u19=614,804
|u20=695,276
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Dunkeld and Birnam|u1=15,406|u2=18,810|u3=19,339
|u4=21,897
|u5=20,856
|u6=26,010
|u7=25,436
|u8=26,178
|u9=26,506
|u10=27,862
|u11=29,924
|u12=31,050
|u13=32,022
|u14=32,878
|u15=37,982
|u16=36,930
|u17=36,608
|u18=7,740
|u19=27,444
|u20=38,416
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Pitlochry|u1=66,890|u2=84,555|u3=88,638
|u4=78,193
|u5=78,776
|u6=97,302
|u7=87,210
|u8=87,684
|u9=90,618
|u10=98,340
|u11=101,902
|u12=112,496
|u13=121,168
|u14=121,342
|u15=125,264
|u16=125,006
|u17=121,060
|u18=22,450
|u19=84,374
|u20=105,586
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Blair Atholl|u1=8,313|u2=11,708|u3=11,896
|u4=10,491
|u5=10,443
|u6=11,716
|u7=11,572
|u8=13,948
|u9=12,608
|u10=14,280
|u11=14,084
|u12=16,062
|u13=16,652
|u14=17,598
|u15=19,802
|u16=21,008
|u17=18,388
|u18=3,688
|u19=11,870
|u20=13,402
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Dalwhinnie|u1=2,066|u2=1,619|u3=2,013
|u4=1,774
|u5=1,975
|u6=2,644
|u7=2,208
|u8=1,894
|u9=1,984
|u10=2,172
|u11=2,472
|u12=2,460
|u13=2,392
|u14=3,188
|u15=3,372
|u16=3,368
|u17=3,226
|u18=614
|u19=1,960
|u20=2,832
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Newtonmore|u1=4,184|u2=5,396|u3=6,815
|u4=6,631
|u5=7,060
|u6=8,358
|u7=7,972
|u8=9,484
|u9=9,406
|u10=8,958
|u11=8,326
|u12=8,636
|u13=9,432
|u14=8,770
|u15=9,194
|u16=7,848
|u17=7,456
|u18=1,498
|u19=5,400
|u20=6,470
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Kingussie|u1=23,815|u2=27,725|u3=30,045
|u4=32,135
|u5=33,416
|u6=42,618
|u7=35,838
|u8=38,544
|u9=40,298
|u10=40,954
|u11=41,408
|u12=42,522
|u13=42,850
|u14=44,200
|u15=44,736
|u16=40,758
|u17=39,254
|u18=7,352
|u19=25,682
|u20=32,978
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Aviemore|u1=70,272|u2=80,977|u3=91,456
|u4=101,294
|u5=115,431
|u6=152,528
|u7=124,972
|u8=132,336
|u9=132,052
|u10=136,456
|u11=141,311
|u12=150,724
|u13=152,000
|u14=145,000
|u15=147,964
|u16=138,490
|u17=132,618
|u18=25,492
|u19=92,240
|u20=112,090
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Carrbridge|u1=1,531|u2=1,910|u3=2,987
|u4=3,954
|u5=5,438
|u6=4,232
|u7=4,500
|u8=5,118
|u9=5,636
|u10=4,454
|u11=5,540
|u12=6,256
|u13=6,898
|u14=5,808
|u15=6,064
|u16=5,584
|u17=5,474
|u18=1,622
|u19=3,714
|u20=4,840
}}
{{UKsta-u A|stn=Inverness|u1=721,358|u2=822,928|u3=873,011
|u4=915,840
|u5=975,569
|u6=1,407,600
|u7=1,070,924
|u8=1,127,718
|u9=1,180,160
|u10=1,213,382
|u11=1,282,445
|u12=1,303,662
|u13=1,307,000
|u14=1,259,000
|u15=1,238,770
|u16=1,243,338
|u17=1,214,648
|u18=231,894
|u19=753,228
|u20=974,808
}}}}

== Future ==
In the [[Scottish Government]]'s National Transport Strategy, published in February 2020, it was stated that the line would be electrified with [[Overhead line|overhead lines]] by 2035.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Shirres|first=David|title=Decarbonising Scotland's Railway|url=https://www.railengineer.co.uk/rail-engineer-may-june-2021-hs2s-largest-bridge-decarbonising-scotland-and-piccadilly-line-trains/|magazine=Rail Engineer|location=|publisher=|issue=190|pages=46–53|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2021-07-03}}</ref>

== References ==
<references/>

== External links ==
*[http://www.openstreetmap.org/?relation=1257824 Route on OpenStreetMap]
*[https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/highland-main-line/ Highland Main Line] on Transport Scotland
*[https://www.highlandmainlinecrp.co.uk/ Highland Mainline Community Rail Partnership]

{{Railway lines in Scotland}}

[[Category:Transport in Perth and Kinross]]
[[Category:Transport in Highland (council area)]]
[[Category:Railway lines in Scotland]]
[[Category:Standard gauge railways in Scotland]]