The Kyle of Lochalsh line is a primarily single-track railway line in the Scottish Highlands, from to . Many of the passengers are tourists, but there are also locals visiting Inverness for shopping, and commuters. All services are provided by ScotRail and run beyond Dingwall to . In the past there were some through services to and from Glasgow, Edinburgh or Aberdeen. None of the line is electrified, and all trains on the line are diesel-powered, as are all other trains in the Scottish Highlands.
Route
The Kyle of Lochalsh line runs east-west and links the town of Dingwall, on the east coast of the Highlands at the tip of the Cromarty Firth, with the village of Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast, close to the Isle of Skye. The line lies entirely within the former county of Ross and Cromarty, part of the modern-day Highland council area.
Dingwall–Achnasheen: Easter Ross
The route begins at Dingwall station, – a junction station with the Far North Line, which runs (mostly) along the Moray Firth and links with and . Almost immediately north of Dingwall, the two lines diverge at Dingwall Junction and the line to Kyle of Lochalsh takes a sharp left turn to head west.
Initially, the single-track line briefly follows the course of the A834 road until it abruptly curves off to the north, crossing over the River Peffery, only to turn west again. There used to be a short branch line here that went straight on towards ; this branch closed to passengers in 1946 and closed completely in 1951. The line to Kyle, meanwhile, bypasses the town about to the north; Achterneed station existed along this stretch and also served Strathpeffer until it too closed in 1964. Achterneed is one of only three stations on the main line to have been closed, and one of two that were never reopened.
The line then continues west, climbing at gradients as steep as 1 in 50, until it passes close to the summit of Raven Rock where it starts descending. It eventually meets the Black Water – a tributary of the River Conon – and follows it upstream alongside the A832 road. The railway and the road both skirt the southern edge of Loch Garve and then turn northwest, approaching the first open station on the line – . This was supposed to be site of a junction with the Garve and Ullapool Railway to the port village of Ullapool but, despite securing government approval, this line was never built.
Beyond Garve, the railway and the A832 continue westwards, away from the Black Water whose source lies to the north. Soon, the line meets Loch Luichart – the source of the River Conon itself – and follows its northern edge; Lochluichart station is located at the northwestern tip of the loch. This station was moved to this location from its original site in 1954 as a result of a hydroelectric scheme, which raised the water level of the loch. From here, the line continues to follow several of the Conon's tributaries, passing by Loch a' Chuilinn and Loch Achanalt until it reaches Achanalt station near the mouth of the River Bran. The track then follows the course of this river for about until the village of Achnasheen, near the eastern end of Loch a' Chroisg. The station at Achnasheen, like Garve, was to be the site of a junction: the proposed Loch Maree and Aultbea Railway was to run between Achnasheen and the small fishing village of Aultbea, but the line never received government approval.
Down the line from Achnasheen the line turns southwest, parting ways with the A832 which continues westwards; the railway now parallels the A890 road instead.
Achnasheen–Kyle of Lochalsh: Wester Ross
A few miles southwest of Achnasheen the track reaches its highest point above sea level, as it leaves the drainage basin of the River Conon (which flows to the Cromarty Firth on the east coast) and enters the basin of the River Carron (whose estuary is on the west coast). The line meets the River Carron itself at Loch Scaven near its source, and then follows the course of the river downstream.