A second scenic route in the Highlands is to close for an upgrade and repair programme.

The line between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh will be shut for a period of three weeks starting at the end of November.

A number of different locations will see improvements made including the Carron Viaduct and upgrade work will also be done at Inverness railway station.

The £9m overhaul is being carried out a couple of weeks after the West Highland Line is shut for nine days in order to make it more resilient in periods of bad weather.

The work in Inverness will see engineers renew track and sleepers at platforms and refurbish equipment that allows trains to move between different tracks.

About four miles (7km) of track will be renewed at several locations, including between Welsh's Bridge and Rose Street level crossing in Inverness, Achanalt and Rosebank near Achnasheen, and between Strathcarron and Stromeferry.

Drainage improvements will be carried out through the renewal of several culverts between Dingwall, Achnasheen and Stromeferry.

The work should help to reduce the impact of adverse weather on the railway and structural repairs and track renewal work will take place at multiple railway bridges.

To allow the work to be carried out no trains will run between Dingwall and Kyle of Lochalsh from 28 November to 18 December inclusive.

Gerry McQuade, capital delivery director at Network Rail Scotland, said: "The Kyle line is one of Scotland's most scenic and important routes, connecting communities across the Highlands.

"This £9m investment will allow us to carry out a significant amount of work in a short period of time, helping us keep the railway safe, reliable and resilient for the future."

Meanwhile the West Highland Line, which runs from Mallaig and Oban to Glasgow, is also due to close for nine days in November for a £13m upgrade.

The work will be at locations between Helensburgh, Fort William and Mallaig and will tackle wear and tear, make the route more resilient in periods of severe weather and reduce the risk of delays and restrictions.