Cairngorm funicular returns to track as scheduled after maintenance and viaduct works

The Cairngorm funicular has returned to operation today as scheduled after being withdrawn for three weeks for essential annual maintenance.

The mountain railway had been out of service from Monday 12 May while the company’s in-house engineering team carried out the works.

The programme included rail grinding, gearbox repairs, undercarriage lubrication, and testing and inspection of the rail welds.

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At the same time, Balfour Beatty, working on behalf of estate owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), had returned to complete their programme of remediation works on the railway viaduct.

An HIE spokesman said: “Balfour Beatty are remaining on site for the next few weeks to conclude the final phase of the remediation programme, with crews working in the evenings after the funicular has finished its last run of the day.

“The remaining works deal with non-urgent matters that will benefit the long-term durability of the structure.”

CMSL has stated: “The mountain railway has reopened following its period of closure for maintenance.”

The required withdrawal of the mountain railway was flagged up at the time of its return in late February.

CMSL usually carries out annual maintenance on the funicular in November but had brought the timescale forward this year to run in parallel with the remediation programme and minimise inconvenience to visitors.

The funicular was out of service from August 2023 until 27 February, earlier this year, returning after inspections confirmed that all essential work to ensure safe operations had been completed.

At that time, HIE explained that contractors would be back to finish the remediation programme in late spring or early summer which is usually a less busy time of year at the resort for visitors.

An HIE spokesman said at the time: “The remaining works will deal with non-urgent matters that will benefit the long-term durability of the structure which is over a mile in length.

“Examples include fine-tuning some joint assemblies to improve performance and minimise the risk of corrosion over time as well as fitting tapes and caps to extend the working life of metal bars that would otherwise be exposed to the weather.”

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