The West Highland Line, one of Scotland's most famous railway routes, is set for a £13m upgrade this winter.

The line is a vital link between communities in the Highlands and Central Belt, while also carrying thousands of visitors each year to some of Scotland's most popular tourist spots. The world-famous route crosses the iconic Glenfinnan Viaduct – known to millions globally for its starring role in the Harry Potter movies.

Work will take place in November to tackle wear and tear across the route, make the railway more resilient to the impacts of severe weather and reduce the likelihood of infrastructure-related delays and restrictions.

Teams of engineers will be working at locations between Helensburgh, Fort William and Mallaig to renew parts of the track, improve drainage and maintain key railway structures.

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said: "The West Highland Line is one that people really depend on, whether they're travelling to work, visiting family or exploring some of Scotland's most spectacular scenery. This work is about making sure the route continues to provide a dependable service for the communities and visitors who use it every day.

“We know closing the line isn't ideal at any time, but it gives us the opportunity to carry out a large amount of work in one go, rather than causing repeated disruption over a longer period. We'd like to thank passengers and local communities for their patience while this takes place and look forward to reopening the line when these improvements are completed.”

To allow the work to take place buses will replace trains between Crianlarich and Fort William / Mallaig from 9-17 November.