Major disruption was caused at a Highland beauty spot yesterday after a mobile crane crashed off the road and ended up teetering over a rail line.
The truck left the road and landed in the precarious position after travelling down the steep hill at Ardnarff on the south side of scenic Loch Carron.
Two cars are understood to have bumped into each other at the bottom of the hill after being forced to take evasive action to avoid the crane.
No one was thought to have been injured in the crash.
Police received a call from a member of the public warning them that the vehicle had left the A890 Achnasheen to Auchtertyre road at about noon.
Train services between Kyle of Lochalsh and Inverness were suspended following the report, with disruption caused on the route throughout the afternoon and into the evening.
Plockton High School pupils from Lochcarron and Kishorn were sent home 40 minutes early after staff were told that the road would be temporarily closed to remove the crane at the time the school buses usually pass the area.
It is understood that the vehicle belonged to Coatbridge-based firm AGS Steel Erectors Ltd.
No one from the firm was available for comment last night.
The driver is believed to have reported a problem with his brakes.
Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh councillor Audrey Sinclair, chairwoman of Highland Council’s planning and infrastructure committee, said: “It’s unfortunate it landed there – almost the worst place.
“There’s quite a steep road there and a sharp corner at the bottom, although there has been very few accidents that I can think of.”
Ian Blackford, the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, said the incident underlined the need for investment to finally deliver a new A890 Stromeferry bypass.
“Thank goodness there were no injuries,” he said.
“This demonstrates once again the vulnerability we have with that road. It demonstrates that the local council, which has responsibility for the road, must put in a strategic plan to deal with the road.
“Now that we’ve got the Inverness City Region Deal, we have to make sure there is that investment.”
