No reopening date set for Cairngorms mountain train as repair works start after further delay

The owner of the funicular railway at Cairngorm Mountain has admitted it cannot confirm when the attraction will reopen - as repair works resume this week.

The highest railway in the UK, near Aviemore, initially reopened in January 2023 after four years of repairs costing £25m - more than the initial cost of building the line.

The funicular was due to start up before Christmas in time for the snowsports season after months of delays, but its reopening was delayed again.

Eight months later, however, it shut down for repair works.

It then closed again in August last year due to “snagging works”. Operators said it would be a matter of months before it could reopen.

It was then hoped the funicular would finally start up before Christmas 2024 in time for the start of Cairngorm Mountain’s snowsports season on 20 December.

An announcement last month, however, confirmed more repair works would be needed in the new year before it could reopen.

A shot of the funicular railway track in the Cairngorms surrounded by some snow last year | Getty Images/iStockphoto

In a statement this week, Cairngorm Estate owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) said it aims to return the service “as soon as possible,” but did not specify a date or month.

HIE, a public body, confirmed the fresh round of repair works, led by construction company Balfour Beatty, began this week.

Significant work has already been undertaken to strengthen the 1.8km viaduct, but the latest inspections showed further is required.

Once the work is completed, mechanical safety testing, trial runs and staff training will also have to take place before it is reopened.

A spokesperson from HIE said: “HIE aims to ensure the funicular can be returned safely to service as quickly as possible, and will provide a date for its reintroduction once this can be confirmed.”

In its annual report, HIE said the remediation works had “proved more complex and challenging than originally anticipated.”

Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain, who personally visited the mountain railway line last month to see the reason for delays himself, said communication about the reopening was “unacceptable.”

Edward Mountain MSP said communication about the funicular delays has been “unacceptable.”

The Scottish Conservatives politician said: “Having visited the funicular railway in December I, like many businesses in Badenoch and Strathspey, was lead to believe the reopening of the railway was imminent.

“Yet again HIE have failed to deliver and their time managing the railway and the botched repairs must now be up.

“We need clarity on the new problems and when they will be resolved. It is unacceptable to keep us all in the dark especially if we are going to be missing this skiing season.”

Mr Mountain has previously called for a public inquiry into how the £25m repairs were handled.

The Scottish Government provided £16m towards that cost of fixing the railway.

Opened in 2001 at a cost of £19.5m, the railway connects a base station with a restaurant and a ski area 1,097m (3,599ft) up Cairn Gorm mountain, a Munro reaching about 1,245m.

HIE is the Scottish Government’s economic and community development agency for the Highlands and Islands regions.

The agency, funded by the Scottish Government and other groups, had an overall income of £87m last year, while its expenditure was £82m.

Figures show HIE spent 2 per cent of its expenditure on Cairngorm in the year 2023/24.

A total of £56.8m was approved last year for HIE to support 339 projects across the Highlands and Islands with a total project cost of £426.9m, according to the annual report. The total value of approvals was down from £63.2m in 2022/23, broadly in line with the Scottish Government budget reduction.