Fire on tracks disrupts ScotRail route Aberdeen to Montrose

Rail passengers travelling between Aberdeen and Montrose faced significant disruption after a fire on or near the tracks led to delays, cancellations and revised ScotRail services along the busy north east corridor.

Services halted after fire reported on the line

Reports indicate that services on the Aberdeen to Montrose route were held or diverted after a fire was identified close to the railway, affecting both local stopping trains and longer distance services that use the coastal line. Initial disruption centred on sections of track south of Aberdeen, where the incident was detected, prompting signallers to stop movements while checks were carried out.

Publicly available information from passenger updates suggests that trains in both directions were subject to extended delays while emergency response teams and rail staff assessed the extent of the fire damage and ensured the line was safe. The nature of the incident meant that even services not directly passing the affected location encountered knock on delays as trains and crew were displaced.

The stretch between Aberdeen and Montrose is a key rail artery for north east Scotland, carrying commuter traffic, intercity services and connections for the wider network. Any incident on this corridor can quickly result in wider disruption, with trains turned short of their destination or held in platforms to manage congestion.

According to live journey planners and disruption summaries, several trains were cancelled outright, while others were revised to start or terminate at intermediate stations. Some passengers were instructed to use later services or alternative routes while the line remained partially blocked.

Knock on disruption across the north east network

Once the fire was reported, the immediate priority was to keep trains away from the affected section, which led to a rapid build up of congestion around Aberdeen and Montrose. Trains waiting for a safe path were held at stations along the route, increasing dwell times and compounding delays for subsequent departures.

Published coverage of the disruption shows that services linking Aberdeen with Glasgow and Edinburgh, as well as local trains to intermediate stations such as Stonehaven, Laurencekirk and Portlethen, experienced altered timings. In some cases, services were turned back short of the full route in order to keep rolling stock in the right place for later journeys.

Passengers already on board delayed trains reported extended waits before onward movement, as signalling staff worked within safety restrictions around the fire site. The cumulative effect was that trains outside the immediate incident area also ran behind schedule, with arrival boards across the region showing late running and cancellations for much of the affected period.

Journey planners and station information screens advised travellers to allow extra time and to check for last minute changes before setting out. Some travellers opted to complete parts of their journey by bus or car, particularly on shorter hops between coastal towns where rail services were most heavily impacted.

Alternative travel measures and passenger advice

In line with standard practice during disruption on the Aberdeen to Montrose corridor, operators promoted ticket acceptance on selected bus routes and encouraged use of rail replacement options where available. Previous incidents on the same stretch of line, involving track defects or weather related damage, have typically seen bus operators step in to connect stations that temporarily lose rail services.

According to information made public during this latest disruption, passengers with advance tickets were generally permitted to travel on later ScotRail services once trains began moving again, subject to space. Flexibility on specific train allocations is a common response when disruption affects a particular window of departures, and can help reduce crowding on the first trains to resume.

Traveller guidance emphasised the importance of checking real time updates on apps, station screens and social media feeds before heading to the station. With trains being reinstated in stages as the line was inspected and cleared, departure times could change at short notice, particularly for services starting away from major hubs.

For those who chose not to travel because of the disruption, normal refund and compensation arrangements applied, depending on the type of ticket held and the length of the delay. Passengers planning important onward connections were advised to review their options once the full pattern of services became clearer.

Safety checks and gradual resumption of services

After the initial response to the fire on or near the tracks, rail engineers and inspection teams were required to verify that the infrastructure was safe before normal services could resume. Publicly available information highlights that this process involves detailed checks of rails, sleepers, signalling equipment and any adjacent lineside cabling that might have been exposed to heat or smoke.

Only once those checks are complete can speed restrictions be lifted and trains allowed to run to the normal timetable. In some previous north east incidents, line reopenings have initially involved reduced speeds through the affected section, prolonging delays even after trains start moving again. A similar pattern was seen in this case, with residual disruption continuing beyond the clearance of the fire itself.

As more services returned to their scheduled paths, operators updated journey planners and station displays to show which trains were running in full and which remained altered or cancelled. Travellers over the rest of the day were still advised to verify their services shortly before departure, as crews and rolling stock were repositioned to restore the timetable.

Despite the gradual improvement, some late evening services were expected to remain affected, with shorter formations or minor timing changes as the network recovered from the earlier disruption.

Recurring vulnerability on the coastal route

The latest fire related disruption adds to a pattern of incidents that have affected the Aberdeen to Montrose line in recent years, including flooding, track issues and external factors such as nearby gas leaks or police operations. Published reports on earlier events highlight how the coastal geography and limited diversionary routes can make this stretch particularly sensitive to disruption.

The corridor carries not only ScotRail services but also cross border trains and freight, creating a dense timetable on what is in places a single track or tightly constrained route. When any incident forces a temporary closure or speed restriction, there are few alternative paths, meaning delays can build quickly and take several hours to unwind.

Industry updates over recent years have pointed to ongoing investment in track resilience, drainage and monitoring technology along the east coast of Scotland, aimed at reducing the frequency and severity of such incidents. While those measures can limit the impact of weather related problems, events such as lineside fires remain an operational risk that must be managed through rapid response and robust contingency planning.

For regular passengers on the Aberdeen to Montrose route, the latest disruption serves as a reminder of the importance of checking service status before travelling, particularly during periods of unsettled conditions when the risk of infrastructure incidents is higher.