Cairngorm funicular is still being targeted for winter return
A return date of this coming winter is still be targeted for the return of the Cairngorm funicular railway which has been out of action for nearly a year.
The mountain railway was taken out of operation on August 25, last year, just months after repairs costing in the region of £20m.
A spokesperson for resort owners Highlands and Islands Enterprise said: “Balfour Beatty and sub-contractor Millar Callaghan are making progress with the remediation works and we continue to aim to have the funicular back in service for the coming snowsports season this winter.
“As ever, the overall programme is reliant on a range of different factors, not only the technical challenges, but weather too.
“In addition to the remediation works on the viaduct structure, we will also carry out a planned replacement of bogeys on the funicular carriages, and there will be a need for testing and safety assurance before passengers can be welcomed again.
“These elements are already factored into the overall programme, however, and the goal is still to relaunch the funicular in time for the snowsports season.”
The programme of remedial works to bring the mountain railway back into use was stepped up at the end of the snowsports season in April.
HIE bosses said then the prime area of focus was hundreds of ‘scarf joints’ linking beams and piers along the 1.7km viaduct.
These were installed as part of the major reinstatement programme that ran for just over two years from November 2020.
In addition, testing has been under way on tensioning works to beams and diaphragms that were also installed as part of the reinstatement programme and remedial action will be taken as required.
The funicular was initially withdrawn over safety concerns in September 2018 but came back into service in January, last year.
The funicular viaduct is a series of 94 linked bridges of varying heights, supporting the railway that ascends Cairn Gorm to an altitude of more than 1,000m.
Originally opened in 2001, the funicular’s two carriages carry visitors between the Cairngorm base station and Ptarmigan building, which houses a restaurant, shop, exhibition and viewing platform.
During winter, it is the main form of uplift to enable skiers and snowboarders to access higher parts of the mountain.
Cairngorm Mountain remains open while the programme of remedial works is under way and has expanded its family offering.