A new tourism guide will shine a spotlight on the hidden history of one of Scotland’s most celebrated railway routes.
The colourful document aims to promote the Highland Main Line, which stretches from Perth to Inverness.
Network Rail recently launched a £10 million campaign to upgrade the track, with significant improvements under way at Pitlochry station.
The guide is the brainchild of the Highland Main Line Community Rail Partnership, which was set up three years ago to boost the local economy by encouraging more visitors to travel by train.
The project was bankrolled by the Enchanted Forest Community Fund.
About 50,000 copies of the guide have been printed and are now available at tourist information centres and the eight stations along the route: Dunkeld and Birnam, Pitlochry, Blair Atholl, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie, Aviemore and Carrbridge.
The partnership’s Sally Spaven said: “We would like to thank the Enchanted Forest’s Community Fund for co-sponsoring our guide.
“This will help make one of Scotland’s most scenic lines even more attractive for our growing tourism sector which is contributing to our economy, particularly in rural areas.”
It is a further boost to the area which recently welcomed production company Flint TV for a new series about UK train lines.
The Channel 4 show, The World’s Most Beautiful Railway, was filmed in Pitlochry. The six-part series will be broadcast some time next year.
Allie Walker, who chairs the Enchanter Forest Community Fund, said: “We are delighted to support the publication of the Highland Main Line Guide.
“More people are visiting the Enchanted Forest than ever before and this incredible support means we re able to fund a host of exciting local community projects like this one.”
She added: “Our visitors should feel proud that, just by visiting the show, they have done their bit to give back to the community and benefit the local area.”
Since its launch in 2002, the trust has awarded £100,000 to a wide range of groups, projects and charities.
Each year the organisation chooses a trio of charity partners to benefit from the event and this year it is supporting the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland, Birks Cinema and Blairgowrie Riding for the Disabled.
Community Rail Partnerships (CPRs) are grassroots organisations which aim to link local people in the development and promotion of local and rural routes, services and stations. They also encourage the community to get directly involved in improving the railway environment through the use of redundant buildings, provision of additional services – such as cafes – and the improvement of railway land.
