Discussions are underway to examine the potential for general freight returning to the far north of Scotland. Interested parties have been discussing the possibility on the back of successful trials of timber movements by rail last year. General freight traffic – almost certainly intermodal – would help sustain the fragile economy of the Far North Line between Inverness and the isolated towns fo Wick and Thurso. The line currently has regular traffic from the decommissioned nuclear research facility at Dounreay.