The Far North Line received an unexpected setback in October to plans to add specially converted Class 153 units to some trains to carry bikes and other large sports equipment. As stakeholders FoFNL attends the meetings concerning design and implementation.

We already knew that introduction would begin on the West Highland Line (its trains being based in Glasgow), but we believed the Far North Line would follow soon after. We had been questioning how the depot allocation of the five units would work, the FNL trains being based in Inverness.

Only in response to a question at a meeting in October we were told that deployment on the WHL is seen as experimental and, depending how well it works, use on the FNL would then be considered - "we haven't forgotten about the Far North Line".

This lengthy delay is particularly disappointing since the FNL probably sees considerably more use by cyclists than the WHL and has only 1/3 of the cycle spaces.