The highest railway in the UK has finally reopened after a much-delayed project to renovate it that involved significant concrete repairs.
Cairngorm Mountain Railway takes passenger from the car park halfway up the 4,084 ft mountain – the sixth highest in Britain – to the summit station at 3,600 ft, making it the highest in the UK.
Work had begun on in 2021 strengthening the concrete-supported steel viaduct that carries the funicular railway up the mountainside, 20 years after the facility first opened.
However, due to Covid, bad weather and the difficulty of accessing materials, the project has only now been completed to enable a full reopening. The Ptarmigan restaurant at the top has also been refurbished as part of the project.
The challenging task included lifting 800 tonnes of concrete to the site on the mountainside by helicopter, while workers had to deal with autumnal winds of over 100 mph and the familiar summer nuisance of biting midges on lower slopes of the mountain.
Head of property and infrastructure with contractor HIE Dave Macleod described the project as “uniquely challenging,” due not just to the engineering required, but also the need to do this while protecting the sensitive environment and enduring the harsh weather of the area.
Featuring five of the six highest mountains in the UK, the Cairngorms National Park has one of the most unique ecosystems in the country, with its sub-arctic climate and a number of rare or unique plant and animal species.
Such features mean not everyone is happy that the Cairgorm Railway even exists, with the initial construction taking place before the area became a national park. However, it is now seen as crucial for tourism and it helps serve the ski resort around it.
Before the funicular was built, the highest railway in Britain was the Snowdon Mountain Railway, which has its highest stop 3,495 ft above sea level, just below the summit of the highest peak in Wales.