Driver (22) charged over crash stopping Aberdeen to Inverness trains as car flipped on line

ABERDEEN to Inverness trains have been cancelled – and a 22-year-old charged – following a crash which left an overturned car blocking the railway line.

The crash, between Huntly and Insch, was reported to Police at around 9.50pm last night (August 7) and has left north of Scotland travellers relying on replacement buses.

Police Scotland said a man has been charged over the one-car crash on the Gartly to Huntly road and was taken to hospital "as a precaution".

According to the National Rail service disruption list, buses will replace trains on the route between Huntly and Inverurie, until "approximately 15.00".

Train operators learned the car was blocking the line at 3.33am last night.

Posting on Twitter (X), a Network Rail Scotland spokesperson said the car was: "too close to the rails for us to safely run trains."

However, the organisation has been: "working with the police overnight to find the best way to move the car," but: "it's in an awkward position for recovery vehicles to access."

In a Twitter thread starting at 7.26am, ScotRail said: "We're unable to run trains between Huntly and Inverurie for now due to a car on the railway line.

"Buses are replacing our Aberdeen - Inverness services in both directions.

"We're still able to run local Inverurie-Montrose trains as normal.

"We're doing our best to run a limited train service between Inverness and Huntly."

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 9.50pm on Monday, August 7, 2023, we received a report of an earlier one-car crash on an unclassified road between Gartly and Huntly.

"The vehicle came to rest close to a railway track.

"Emergency services attended and a 22-year-old man attended hospital as a precaution.

"There are no reported injuries.

"He was subsequently charged in connection with the crash and a report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal."

Scotrail confimed that, along with replacement buses, train tickets can be used on these local buses including: 10 and 10B Inverness – Aberdeen; 31 Elgin – Forres; 35 Elgin – Aberdeen; and 37 Inverurie – Aberdeen.

Phil Campbell, ScotRail customer operations director, said: “We’re sorry to customers who have experienced disruption to their journey as a result of this incident, and share their frustration when these things happen.

“Anyone delayed by 30 minutes or more is entitled to claim money back through our Delay Repay Guarantee.
"Just keep hold of your tickets and submit your claim on the ScotRail website or mobile app.”