ENGINEERS have removed a train which was left trapped by a landslide in the Highlands.
The ScotRail train derailed on the Fort William to Mallaig line between Glenfinnan and Lochailort on Monday after melting snow caused subsidence in the surrounding land.
The track has been closed all week while recovery work has taken place.
There were no injuries in the derailment, with five passengers on board at the time.
UPDATE: Engineers have now removed the trapped train at #Glenfinnan & continue to make good progress on repairs to the damage caused by the landslip. The line between Fort William & Mallaig is expected to reopen on Monday 29th. pic.twitter.com/f2Ah2IAVbr
— ScotRail (@ScotRail) January 26, 2018
NetworkRail Scotland carried out aerial inspections and checks to ensure the steep slope above the train was stable before getting to work.
David Dickson, ScotRail Alliance infrastructure director, said: “”Our engineers will be working hard throughout the weekend to reopen the line for customers.
“The recovery operation is progressing to plan and we remain confident that we will be able to reopen the line for customers from the start of service on Monday.
“The isolated location, and steepness of the slope above, has made this a complex recovery operation and we are grateful to customers for the patience they have shown during this period of disruption.”
The route is popular with tourists wanting to travel over the iconic Glenfinnan viaduct, which appeared in the Harry Potter films, as well as those heading to Mallaig for a trip over to Skye.
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