The Friends of the Far North Line
Cairdean Na Loine Tuath
the campaign group for rail north of
Inverness - lobbying for improved services for the local user, tourist and freight
operator
In April I had a most useful and enjoyable chat with one of our members. John Erskine has worked in the office of Rhoda Grant MSP, one of our vice presidents, for a number of years and we had been in contact in the past about parliamentary questions.
It turns out that John is an avid rail supporter and is now standing for selection as a Labour Party candidate in the 2026 Holyrood elections in either the Inverness and Nairn or the Caithness, Sutherland and Ross seat.
We spent a morning discussing over coffee what I refer to as the Highlands Railway Deficit. I outlined the many deficiencies which successive Scottish Governments (and the UK Government before 1999) have failed to tackle.
We discussed what it might take to generate the interest of MSPs in the Highlands railways. Inevitably the Central Belt receives the most attention; it's where the majority of the population live and the majority of MSPs represent. It doesn't need to be like that though. A government has obligations to distribute the facilities needed for everyone round the whole country. 'Remote' parts such as Caithness are often virtually ignored - victims of the business case mentality which is deployed to replace actual consideration. As a Wick resident said to me last year, "Remote? We're not remote, you are!"
Talking to John revealed his determination that the next Holyrood government will pay more attention to those parts outside the Central Belt. Referring to our campaign for the construction of the Delmore Loop, he said, "As a rail enthusiast, regular user of the Far North Line, and a member of the Friends of the Far North Line, I fully understand why this loop is the top infrastructure priority for campaigners across the region."
The Inverness Courier - a newspaper always supportive of our efforts to highlight the deficiencies of the Far North Line, and their remedies - carried a piece by Philip Murray about our meeting. The article quoted John:
"We cannot build a reliable and modern Highland rail service on outdated infrastructure that was never designed for today's needs. The Delmore Loop would address one of the most serious capacity issues on the network and help unlock the potential of rail across the north.
"Yes, this project comes at a significant cost - but it is an essential investment in regional transport and economic growth. It's time for the Highlands to get our fair share."
It was reassuring to discuss the Highlands railways with someone who shares our enthusiasm and determination to see things improve. If John is successful I'm sure his infectious positivity will convince MSPs of all parties that there really is a job waiting to be done, and that they are the ones to do it.
Just as we did in 2021, we will be getting in touch next year with all the parliamentary candidates. We will point out their obligation if elected, to ensure that rail in the Highlands is given what it needs to catch up with service provision enjoyed by residents in other parts of Scotland, and to play its part in modal shift from road to rail. Rail provision is not, and must never be, a party political issue, but it's definitely a political issue and the support of MSPs of all parties is key to a change from the recent virtual paralysis in Highlands railway investment.
The Far North Line, the Kyle Line, the Highland Main Line and the Inverness-Aberdeen line await!