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Edinburgh to Inverness: Forth Bridge

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Inversnecky

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In the mid 1980s I went to university in Edinburgh and regularly took the train back and forth from my home near Inverness.

Initially, trains always went across the Forth Bridge, then latterly they followed a new route through West Lothian, bypassing the bridge.

Does anyone know why this route change happened? Seems a longer and more roundabout way.
 

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hexagon789

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In the mid 1980s I went to university in Edinburgh and regularly took the train back and forth from my home near Inverness.

Initially, trains always went across the Forth Bridge, then latterly they followed a new route through West Lothian, bypassing the bridge.

Does anyone know why this route change happened? Seems a longer and more roundabout way.
Originally it was because the Glenfarg line was closed the original Perth route, so all Edinburgh-Perth trains then went via Stirling, Inverness trains already appear to have done this. They then re-opened the Ladybank-Perth line in the mid-70s and so Edinburgh-Inverness trains went this way, being shorter and quicker than going via Stirling of course.

Then in I believe 1984 possibly earlier, they switched back to running Edinburgh-Inverness trains via Stirling though in the 1984 timetable one is still down as 'via Kirkcaldy' - the Ladybank route essentially.

By 1986 all are routed via Stirling and this continued through the 1980s. I think the switch back to the Ladybank line came with Sprinterisation and greater frequencies.

It should be noted that even when Edinburgh-Inverness trains were routed via Stirling in the 1980s, there were still local Edinburgh-Perth trains which ran via Ladybank.
 
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dubscottie

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It was with the start of the summer 1990 timetable that trains on the Ladybank-Hilton Jnt section went from 2 per day to 11 per day each way.

The main reason was that ScotRail was struggling on the Edinburgh-Inverness traffic with the upgrading of the A9 and by routing trains via Fife, they could shave 12 mins off the time with 47+Mk2 stock and even more with sprinters.

It also freed up paths for more Glasgow-Aberdeen trains, Glasgow-Inverness passengers changing at Perth. Edinburgh-Stirling passengers were covered by an increase in frequency in Dunblane trains.
 

Inversnecky

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Originally it was because the Glenfarg line was closed the original Perth route, so all Edinburgh-Perth trains then went via Stirling, Inverness trains already appear to have done this. They then re-opened the Ladybank-Perth line in the mid-70s and so Edinburgh-Inverness trains went this way, being shorter and quicker than going via Stirling of course.

Then in I believe 1984 possibly earlier, they switched back to running Edinburgh-Inverness trains via Stirling though in the 1984 timetable one is still down as 'via Kirkcaldy' - the Ladybank route essentially.

By 1986 all are routed via Stirling and this continued through the 1980s. I think the switch back to the Ladybank line came with Sprinterisation and greater frequencies.

It should be noted that even when Edinburgh-Inverness trains were touted via Stirling in the 1980s, there were still local Edinburgh-Perth trains which ran via Ladybank.
Thanks for the in depth reply. I’m sure I was crossing the rail bridge until 1985 or 86...
 

bassmike

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Are there any photos extant of L U tube stock crossing the Forth Bridge on their way for overhaul in a Scottish dockyard (cant remember the name)?
 

Class 170101

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Don't forget you still have the Highland Chieftain that runs via Stirling between Edinburgh and Perth.
 

hexagon789

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Don't forget you still have the Highland Chieftain that runs via Stirling between Edinburgh and Perth.
It's always gone that route on weekdays though.

I've wondered if that was -

1. Because the existing service that it was an extension of ran to Perth via Stirling anyway
2. To continue to offer Stirling & Perth a service to/from King's Cross
3. Because it was introduced at the time when ScotRail were just starting to reroute Edinburgh-Inverness trains via Stirling

Or a combination of the three.

Noteable though that in its first year on Sundays the King's Cross-Inverness HST ran via Inverkeithing and Ladybank to Perth and for many years after that the southbound service continued to via Elgin, Aberdeen and Dundee to reach Edinburgh in winter.
 
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