Argyll road and railway hit by 100-tonne landslip

About 100 tonnes of boulders, trees and waterlogged soil fell on to a road and railway line during a landslip in Argyll on Monday.

The debris has closed the Oban branch of the West Highland Line and initially shut a stretch of the A85.

Network Rail said the landslip occurred on the lower slopes of the mountain Ben Cruachan, covering the tracks before reaching the road 30m (98ft) below.

It said it was too early to say when the debris would be cleared.

The incident between near Falls of Cruachan, on a shore of Loch Awe, has disrupted train services between Glasgow Queen Street and Oban.

One lane of the A85 reopened under traffic signal controls on Tuesday afternoon.

Roads company Bear Scotland said it was working with Network Rail on a safety inspection and an investigation to identify the cause of the landslip.

Eddie Ross, of Bear Scotland, said: “Safety is our top priority, and a full assessment is currently being undertaken.

“We thank the local community and road users for their patience and assure them we’re doing everything we can alongside our partners in Police Scotland and Network Rail, to address this challenging situation as quickly and safely as we can.

“Road users should also check Traffic Scotland for the latest information.”