Far North Line
Encyclopedia
The Far North Line is a rural railway line entirely within the Highland
area of Scotland
, extending from Inverness
to Thurso
and Wick
.
, the Far North Line generally follows the line of the east-facing Moray Firth
coast. Much of the population of the far north of Scotland is concentrated in coastal areas and, in places, the railway is almost on the shore, the track running along the raised beaches left behind as land rebounded following the end of the last Ice Age.
The railway links many of the same places as the road. Many more places were served by both the railway and the road before three new road bridges were built: across the Moray Firth (between Inverness and the Black Isle
), the Cromarty Firth
and the Dornoch Firth
. The railway is now, in many places, a long way inland from the route of the A9.
The railway loops inland from Tain
to Lairg
, which has never been on the A9, a diversion intended at the time of construction to open the centre of Sutherland to trade. The route then returns to the coast at Golspie
. Beyond Golspie, the railway continues along the coast as far as Helmsdale
, then inland up the Strath of Kildonan
and then across the Flow Country
to Halkirk
and back to the east coast at Wick
. At Georgemas Junction near Halkirk, there is a branch to Thurso
.
, which links Inverness and Perth
, and the Aberdeen to Inverness Line
. Kyle of Lochalsh Line
services run between Inverness and .
however the Far North Line remained open. If the Beeching Report had been totally acted upon there would have been no rail service north of Inverness
.
Following the elimination of steam traction by the early 1960s, trains on the line were normally hauled by Class 26
diesel locomotives. In the 1980s these were substituted by more-powerful Class 37
locomotive, still with Mark 1 rolling stock. These were replaced by Class 156 units in the 1990s.
replicated by that provided in the latter years of BR Scottish Region
. ScotRail was owned by National Express
until 17 October 2004 when First Group took over the franchise.
Since 2004 this service has been operated exclusively using Class 158 DMU
s as two coach trains. Prior to this some Class 156 units were used and trains were split at Georgemas Junction - one half going to Thurso
and the other to Wick
.
First ScotRail also operates a number of shorter distance services on the line from Inverness terminating at and , as an alternative commuter route to Inverness in addition to the A9 road.
grid references
are for stations, unless otherwise indicated):
Much of the work was done by the Inverness
-based Highland Railway
company or, when completed, taken over by that company. In 1923 the Highland Railway was grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
, under the Railways Act
of 1921.
Like railway lines generally in Britain
the line was not a product of any strategic plan, but was an ad hoc
development, facilitated by Private Acts of Parliament
(which were themselves a significant expense for developers) and dependent on cooperation between companies and individuals, each with their own private vested interests. The line did become strategically important during World War I
and World War II
as part of a supply route for Scapa Flow
, Orkney
: Jellicoe's Express linked Thurso
directly with London
(Euston
) and Portsmouth
.
That the line extends beyond Ardgay
in the county
of Ross and Cromarty
is due, to a large extent, to the railway enthusiasm (some might say madness) of the 3rd Duke of Sutherland
. The duke did realise his dream of being able to run his own private train to and from his own station at Dunrobin Castle
.
The duke's enthusiasm took the line as far as Gartymore
, a little south of Helmsdale
, in the county of Sutherland
, but this development was more of a financial liability than an asset: the long-term viability of the line then depended on a Caithness
willingness, not least from the 17th Earl of Caithness
, to link the line to the population centres of Wick
and Thurso.
North of Helsmdale the line was built by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway
. Turning inland it reaches Forsinard
in the Flow Country
. The building of the line through the Flow Country - one of the least densely populated parts of Scotland - was to avoid the Berriedale Braes
. North of Helmsdale as far as Lybster, it would have been impractical to have built a railway without massive civil engineering projects. Thus coastal villages such as Latheron
and Lybster
are not served by the line.
In 1902, under the provisions of the Light Railways Act
of 1896, the standard gauge
Wick and Lybster Railway
was built along the east coast of Caithness, running south from Wick to Lybster
. This line was never profitable, and it closed in 1944.
Historic branch lines also served Dornoch
and the Black Isle
.
) more directly with Golspie. This would involve building a new bridge over the Firth, or making dual-purpose the bridge which now carries just the A9. Discussions have been held concerning the shortening of the Far North Line involving a bridge over the Dornoch Firth
and the possible use of the trackbed of the former light railway. Nothing has yet come of these ideas.
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
area of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, extending from Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
to Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
and Wick
Wick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
.
Route
Like the A9 road north of InvernessInverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, the Far North Line generally follows the line of the east-facing Moray Firth
Moray Firth
The Moray Firth is a roughly triangular inlet of the North Sea, north and east of Inverness, which is in the Highland council area of north of Scotland...
coast. Much of the population of the far north of Scotland is concentrated in coastal areas and, in places, the railway is almost on the shore, the track running along the raised beaches left behind as land rebounded following the end of the last Ice Age.
The railway links many of the same places as the road. Many more places were served by both the railway and the road before three new road bridges were built: across the Moray Firth (between Inverness and the Black Isle
Black Isle
The Black Isle is an eastern area of the Highland local government council area of Scotland, within the county of Ross and Cromarty. The name nearly always includes the article "the"....
), the Cromarty Firth
Cromarty Firth
The Cromarty Firth of Cromarty') is an arm of the North Sea in Scotland. It is the middle of the three sea lochs at the head of the Moray Firth: to the north lies the Dornoch Firth, and to the south the Beauly Firth....
and the Dornoch Firth
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
. The railway is now, in many places, a long way inland from the route of the A9.
Tain
Tain is a royal burgh and post town in the committee area of Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland area of Scotland.-Etymology:...
to Lairg
Lairg
Lairg is a village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of about 700and is situated at the south-eastern end of Lairg is a village in [[Sutherland]], [[Highland |Highland]], [[Scotland]]...
, which has never been on the A9, a diversion intended at the time of construction to open the centre of Sutherland to trade. The route then returns to the coast at Golspie
Golspie
Golspie is a coastal village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of around 1,650 people. It is located picturesquely on the shores of the North Sea in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie ....
. Beyond Golspie, the railway continues along the coast as far as Helmsdale
Helmsdale
Helmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances....
, then inland up the Strath of Kildonan
Kildonan
Kildonan may refer to:*Kildonan, Skye, a crofting township on the island of Skye*Kildonan, Sutherland, a parish containing the village of Helmsdale.*Kildonan, Arran, a village on the Isle of Arran, Scotland...
and then across the Flow Country
Flow Country
The Flow Country is a large, rolling expanse of peatland and wetland area of Caithness and Sutherland in Scotland. It is the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe, and covers about 4,000 square kilometres ....
to Halkirk
Halkirk
Halkirk is a village on the River Thurso in Caithness, in the Highland council area of Scotland. From Halkirk the B874 road runs towards Thurso in the north and towards Georgemas in the east...
and back to the east coast at Wick
Wick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
. At Georgemas Junction near Halkirk, there is a branch to Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
.
Connections to other services
At Inverness the line connects with the Highland Main LineHighland Main Line
The Highland Main Line is a railway line in Scotland. It is long and runs through the Scottish Highlands linking a series of small towns and villages with Perth at one end and Inverness at the other. Today, services between Inverness and Edinburgh, Glasgow and London use the line...
, which links Inverness and Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, and the Aberdeen to Inverness Line
Aberdeen to Inverness Line
The Aberdeen to Inverness Line is a railway line in Scotland linking Aberdeen and Inverness.-Current services:Passenger services are operated by First ScotRail. There is some limited freight traffic, with Elgin retaining a goods yard, whilst Keith, Huntly and Inverurie retain smaller, less...
. Kyle of Lochalsh Line
Kyle of Lochalsh Line
The Kyle of Lochalsh Line is a primarily single track railway line in the Scottish Highlands, running from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh. The population along the route is sparse in nature, but the scenery is beautiful and can be quite dramatic, the Kyle line having been likened to a symphony in...
services run between Inverness and .
Provided by BR Scottish Region (1948 to 1997)
In 1963, the line was listed for closure on the Beeching ReportBeeching Axe
The Beeching Axe or the Beeching Cuts are informal names for the British Government's attempt in the 1960s to reduce the cost of running British Railways, the nationalised railway system in the United Kingdom. The name is that of the main author of The Reshaping of British Railways, Dr Richard...
however the Far North Line remained open. If the Beeching Report had been totally acted upon there would have been no rail service north of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
Following the elimination of steam traction by the early 1960s, trains on the line were normally hauled by Class 26
British Rail Class 26
The British Rail Class 26 diesel locomotives, also known as the BRCW Type 2, were built by the Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company at Smethwick in 1958-59. Forty seven examples were built, and the last were withdrawn from service in 1993...
diesel locomotives. In the 1980s these were substituted by more-powerful Class 37
British Rail Class 37
The British Rail Class 37 is a diesel-electric locomotive. Also known as the English Electric Type 3, the Class was ordered as part of the British Rail modernisation plan....
locomotive, still with Mark 1 rolling stock. These were replaced by Class 156 units in the 1990s.
Provided by ScotRail (1997 to 2004)
The service provided by ScotRailScotRail
ScotRail was a brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, from 1997 to 2004....
replicated by that provided in the latter years of BR Scottish Region
Scottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
. ScotRail was owned by National Express
National Express
National Express Coaches, more commonly known as National Express, is a brand and company, owned by the National Express Group, under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are operated,...
until 17 October 2004 when First Group took over the franchise.
Since 2004 this service has been operated exclusively using Class 158 DMU
Diesel multiple unit
A diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s as two coach trains. Prior to this some Class 156 units were used and trains were split at Georgemas Junction - one half going to Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
and the other to Wick
Wick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
.
Provided by First ScotRail (from 2005)
Along the full length of the line there are three services each way Monday to Saturday, with a fourth service south in the morning allowing a connection from the Orkney ferry, and one service each way on Sundays. In the Winter 2008/9 timetable the number of trains to and from Wick was increased to 4 each way on Mondays to Saturdays.First ScotRail also operates a number of shorter distance services on the line from Inverness terminating at and , as an alternative commuter route to Inverness in addition to the A9 road.
Towns and villages
Towns and villages (and other places) linked by passenger services (Ordnance SurveyOrdnance Survey
Ordnance Survey , an executive agency and non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom, is the national mapping agency for Great Britain, producing maps of Great Britain , and one of the world's largest producers of maps.The name reflects its creation together with...
grid references
British national grid reference system
The Ordnance Survey National Grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references used in Great Britain, different from using latitude and longitude....
are for stations, unless otherwise indicated):
| Places | Grid references | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Inverness Inverness Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland... |
Connection with the Aberdeen to Inverness Line Aberdeen to Inverness Line The Aberdeen to Inverness Line is a railway line in Scotland linking Aberdeen and Inverness.-Current services:Passenger services are operated by First ScotRail. There is some limited freight traffic, with Elgin retaining a goods yard, whilst Keith, Huntly and Inverurie retain smaller, less... ; the Highland Main Line Highland Main Line The Highland Main Line is a railway line in Scotland. It is long and runs through the Scottish Highlands linking a series of small towns and villages with Perth at one end and Inverness at the other. Today, services between Inverness and Edinburgh, Glasgow and London use the line... to Edinburgh Edinburgh Waverley railway station Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being... , Glasgow Queen Street Glasgow Queen Street railway station Glasgow Queen Street is a railway station in Glasgow, Scotland, the smaller of the city's two main line railway termini and the third-busiest station in Scotland. It is between George Street to the south and Cathedral Street Bridge to the north, at the northern end of Queen Street adjacent to... and London King's Cross; and the Caledonian Sleeper Caledonian Sleeper The Caledonian Sleeper is a sleeper train service operated by First ScotRail and one of only two remaining sleeper services running on the railways of Great Britain, the other being the Night Riviera.... to London Euston Euston railway station Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line... . Bus connection to Inverness Airport Inverness Airport Inverness Airport is an international airport situated at Dalcross, north east of the city of Inverness in Highland, Scotland. The airport is the main gateway for travellers to the north of Scotland with a wide range of scheduled services throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, and limited... (route 11 operated by Stagecoach in Inverness). |
|
| Beauly Beauly Beauly is a town of the Scottish county of Inverness-shire, on the River Beauly, 10 miles west of Inverness by the Far North railway line. Its population was 855 in 1901... |
||
| Muir of Ord Muir of Ord Muir of Ord is a village in Highland, Scotland. It is situated near the western boundary of the Black Isle, about 20 km west of the city of Inverness, and 10 km south of Dingwall... |
||
| Dingwall Dingwall Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts... |
The Kyle of Lochalsh Line Kyle of Lochalsh Line The Kyle of Lochalsh Line is a primarily single track railway line in the Scottish Highlands, running from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh. The population along the route is sparse in nature, but the scenery is beautiful and can be quite dramatic, the Kyle line having been likened to a symphony in... diverges at Dingwall. |
|
| Alness Alness Alness is a town and civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It lies near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon to the east and the village of Evanton to the south west... |
||
| Invergordon Invergordon Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated... |
||
| Fearn Hill of Fearn Hill of Fearn is a small village near Tain in Easter Ross, in the Scottish council area of Highland.-Geography:The village is on the B9165 road, between the A9 trunk road and the smaller hamlet of Fearn to the southeast. The parish church of Fearn Abbey stands a few minutes walk to the south-east... |
This small village (full name Hill of Fearn) is about two kilometres (one mile) east of the station. This station also benefits the Seaboard Villages Seaboard Villages The Seaboard Villages are three contiguous coastal villages, situated about 10 km southeast of the town of Tain in Easter Ross, Scotland. They face east onto the Moray Firth.Namely :*Hilton of Cadboll - which has the pier... . |
|
| Tain Tain Tain is a royal burgh and post town in the committee area of Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland area of Scotland.-Etymology:... |
||
| Ardgay Ardgay Ardgay is a small Scottish village on the north west shore of the Dornoch Firth, Sutherland and lies at the entrance to Strathcarron, the valley of the River Carron. In the Highland Council area Ardgay is in Ward 1, the North, West and Central Sutherland ward.Ardgay is served by the Ardgay... |
When first built, and for many years afterwards, Ardgay station was named for the nearby village of Bonar Bridge Bonar Bridge Bonar Bridge is a village on the north bank of the Kyle of Sutherland, in the Parish of Creich in the Highland council area of Scotland.The Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary of the Rivers Oykel, Cassley, Shin and Carron that all enter the Kyle above the bridge at Bonar.The estuary and the... . |
|
| Culrain | ||
| Invershin Invershin Invershin is a scattered village six miles south of Lairg in south Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.Invershin is located close to the junction of the River Shin and the River Oykel.... |
||
| Lairg Lairg Lairg is a village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of about 700and is situated at the south-eastern end of Lairg is a village in [[Sutherland]], [[Highland |Highland]], [[Scotland]]... |
Lairg station is over two kilometres (one mile) south of this small town . | |
| Rogart Rogart Rogart was originally a scattered crofting village, until the opening of the Rogart railway station at Pittentrail 1.5 miles to the southeast, is a newer industrialised village that grew around the arrival of the railway in 1886, with the older village remaining at the original location... |
||
| Golspie Golspie Golspie is a coastal village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of around 1,650 people. It is located picturesquely on the shores of the North Sea in the shadow of Ben Bhraggie .... |
||
| Dunrobin Castle Dunrobin Castle Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway... |
||
| Brora Brora Brora is a village in the east of Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. The village is situated where the A9 road and the Far North Line bridge the River Brora... |
||
| Helmsdale Helmsdale Helmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances.... |
||
| Kildonan Kildonan railway station Kildonan railway station is a railway station near Kildonan Lodge in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line.... |
||
| Kinbrace | ||
| Forsinard Forsinard Forsinard is a hamlet in the county of Sutherland in the Highland area of Scotland. It is located on the A897 road in Strath Halladale. It is served by a hotel and railway station on the Far North Line.... |
||
| Altnabreac | One of Britain's most isolated railway stations. | |
| Scotscalder Scotscalder railway station Scotscalder railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Scotscalder, Olrigmore, Calder, Westerdale and outlying areas. The area falls into the Highland council area, in the north of Scotland.- History :... |
||
| Georgemas Junction railway station Georgemas Junction railway station Georgemas Junction railway station is a railway station serving the village of Halkirk and its surrounding areas in the Highland council area, northern Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, within the historic county of Caithness. Georgemas Junction is the junction of the Thurso branch... |
In the past, passenger services divided at Georgemas Junction, part of the train going to Thurso, the other to Wick. In the 1990s this practice was changed. Trains now run to Georgemas, reverse to reach Thurso, and then return through Georgemas a second time before continuing to Wick. | |
| Thurso Thurso -Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from... |
Connection with NorthLink Northlink Ferries NorthLink Ferries operates daily ferry services between mainland Scotland and the northern archipelagos of Orkney and Shetland. NorthLink Ferries is a wholly owned subsidiary of David MacBrayne Ltd, whose sole shareholder is the Scottish Government.-History:... ferry to Orkney. |
|
| Wick Wick, Highland Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay... |
History
The line was built in several stages:-- Inverness and Ross-shire RailwayInverness and Ross-shire RailwayThe Inverness and Ross-shire Railway was incorporated on 3 July 1860 with the aim to build a line to Invergordon. The line opened in stages:* 11 June 1862 - Inverness to Dingwall* 23 March 1863 - Dingwall to Invergordon...
- Opened 11 June 1862 between InvernessInverness railway stationInverness railway station is the railway station serving the Scottish city of Inverness.- History :Opened on 5 November 1855 as the western terminus of the Inverness and Nairn Railway, it is now the terminus of the Highland Main Line, the Aberdeen-Inverness Line , the Kyle of Lochalsh Line and the...
and ArdgayArdgay railway stationArdgay railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ardgay in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, 93 km north of Inverness, near Bonar Bridge. Ardgay station has a passing loop, the next loop to the south being at and to the north, .-... - Sutherland RailwaySutherland RailwayThe Sutherland Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed in 1884 by the Highland Railway running through Sutherland, Scotland. Sutherland is a former county, and former districts of the Highland region....
- Opened 13 April 1868 between ArdgayArdgay railway stationArdgay railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ardgay in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, 93 km north of Inverness, near Bonar Bridge. Ardgay station has a passing loop, the next loop to the south being at and to the north, .-...
and GolspieGolspie railway stationGolspie railway station is a railway station serving the village of Golspie in the Highland council area of Scotland.Golspie railway station opened on 28 July 1874... - Duke of Sutherland's RailwayDuke of Sutherland's RailwayThe Duke of Sutherland's Railway was a railway built by the Duke of Sutherland when the Sutherland Railway which had powers to build north to Brora, stopped at Golspie...
- Opened 1 November 1870 between GolspieGolspie railway stationGolspie railway station is a railway station serving the village of Golspie in the Highland council area of Scotland.Golspie railway station opened on 28 July 1874...
and HelmsdaleHelmsdale railway stationHelmsdale railway station is a railway station serving the village of Helmsdale in the Highland council area, northern Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line.-External links:... - Sutherland and Caithness RailwaySutherland and Caithness RailwayThe Sutherland and Caithness Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed by the Highland Railway running through Sutherland and Caithness, Scotland. Caithness and Sutherland are former counties, and former districts of the Highland region.- History :...
- Opened 28 July 1874 between HelmsdaleHelmsdale railway stationHelmsdale railway station is a railway station serving the village of Helmsdale in the Highland council area, northern Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line.-External links:...
and WickWick railway stationWick railway station is a railway station serving the town of Wick, in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. The station is the terminus of the Far North Line, near Wick police station and Caithness General Hospital, within the former county of Caithness.- History :The station was...
/ ThursoThurso railway stationThurso railway station is a railway station serving the town of Thurso, Highland, in the Highland council area, in the north of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, within the former county of Caithness. It is the northernmost station on the National Rail network: north of Inverness...
Much of the work was done by the Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
-based Highland Railway
Highland Railway
The Highland Railway was one of the smaller British railways before the Railways Act 1921; it operated north of Perth railway station in Scotland and served the farthest north of Britain...
company or, when completed, taken over by that company. In 1923 the Highland Railway was grouped into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
, under the Railways Act
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1921.
Like railway lines generally in Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
the line was not a product of any strategic plan, but was an ad hoc
Ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
development, facilitated by Private Acts of Parliament
Private bill
A private bill is a proposal for a law that would apply to a particular individual or group of individuals, or corporate entity. If enacted, it becomes a private Act . This is unlike public bills which apply to everyone within their jurisdiction...
(which were themselves a significant expense for developers) and dependent on cooperation between companies and individuals, each with their own private vested interests. The line did become strategically important during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as part of a supply route for Scapa Flow
Scapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
, Orkney
Orkney Islands
Orkney also known as the Orkney Islands , is an archipelago in northern Scotland, situated north of the coast of Caithness...
: Jellicoe's Express linked Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
directly with London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
(Euston
Euston railway station
Euston railway station, also known as London Euston, is a central London railway terminus in the London Borough of Camden. It is the sixth busiest rail terminal in London . It is one of 18 railway stations managed by Network Rail, and is the southern terminus of the West Coast Main Line...
) and Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
.
That the line extends beyond Ardgay
Ardgay
Ardgay is a small Scottish village on the north west shore of the Dornoch Firth, Sutherland and lies at the entrance to Strathcarron, the valley of the River Carron. In the Highland Council area Ardgay is in Ward 1, the North, West and Central Sutherland ward.Ardgay is served by the Ardgay...
in the county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use...
is due, to a large extent, to the railway enthusiasm (some might say madness) of the 3rd Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland
Duke of Sutherland, derived from Sutherland in Scotland, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom held by the head of the Leveson-Gower family. It was created by William IV in 1833 for George Leveson-Gower, 2nd Marquess of Stafford...
. The duke did realise his dream of being able to run his own private train to and from his own station at Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin Castle is a stately home in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It is the seat of the Countess of Sutherland and the Clan Sutherland. It is located north of Golspie, and approximately south of Brora, on the Dornoch Firth close to the A9 road. Nearby Dunrobin Castle railway...
.
The duke's enthusiasm took the line as far as Gartymore
Gartymore
Gartymore is an area, lying on the east coast of Sutherland and located less than 0.5 miles south west of Helmsdale, close to West Helmsdale, in the Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
, a little south of Helmsdale
Helmsdale
Helmsdale is a village on the east coast of Sutherland, in the Highland council area of Scotland. The modern village was planned in 1814 to resettle communities that had been removed from the surrounding straths as part of the Highland Clearances....
, in the county of Sutherland
Sutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
, but this development was more of a financial liability than an asset: the long-term viability of the line then depended on a Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
willingness, not least from the 17th Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness
Earl of Caithness is a title that has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history. Its first grant, in the modern sense as to have been counted in strict lists of peerages, is now generally held to have taken place in favor of Maol Íosa V, Earl of...
, to link the line to the population centres of Wick
Wick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
and Thurso.
North of Helsmdale the line was built by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Sutherland and Caithness Railway
The Sutherland and Caithness Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed by the Highland Railway running through Sutherland and Caithness, Scotland. Caithness and Sutherland are former counties, and former districts of the Highland region.- History :...
. Turning inland it reaches Forsinard
Forsinard
Forsinard is a hamlet in the county of Sutherland in the Highland area of Scotland. It is located on the A897 road in Strath Halladale. It is served by a hotel and railway station on the Far North Line....
in the Flow Country
Flow Country
The Flow Country is a large, rolling expanse of peatland and wetland area of Caithness and Sutherland in Scotland. It is the largest expanse of blanket bog in Europe, and covers about 4,000 square kilometres ....
. The building of the line through the Flow Country - one of the least densely populated parts of Scotland - was to avoid the Berriedale Braes
Berriedale Braes
Berriedale is a small village on the northern east coast of Caithness, Scotland, on the A9 road between Helmsdale and Lybster, close to the boundary between Caithness and Sutherland. It is sheltered from the North Sea...
. North of Helmsdale as far as Lybster, it would have been impractical to have built a railway without massive civil engineering projects. Thus coastal villages such as Latheron
Latheron
Latheron ) is a small village and civil parish in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, centred on the junction of the A9 with the A99....
and Lybster
Lybster
Lybster is a village on the east coast of Caithness in northern Scotland.It was once a big herring fishing port, but has declined in recent years, due to problems in the industry....
are not served by the line.
In 1902, under the provisions of the Light Railways Act
Light Railways Act 1896
The Light Railways Act 1896 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Before the Act each new railway line built in the country required a specific Act of Parliament to be obtained by the company that wished to construct it, which greatly added to the cost...
of 1896, the standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
Wick and Lybster Railway
Wick and Lybster Railway
The Wick and Lybster Light Railway was a light railway worked by the Highland Railway in Caithness, Scotland following a coastal route south from Wick to Lybster. It was intended to profit from the fishery based in Lybster but the harbour declined not long after the line opened...
was built along the east coast of Caithness, running south from Wick to Lybster
Lybster
Lybster is a village on the east coast of Caithness in northern Scotland.It was once a big herring fishing port, but has declined in recent years, due to problems in the industry....
. This line was never profitable, and it closed in 1944.
Historic branch lines also served Dornoch
Dornoch Light Railway
Dornoch Light Railway was an historic railway in Scotland that ran from on the Sutherland Railway to the county town of Sutherland, Dornoch. This railway is closed....
and the Black Isle
Fortrose Branch
Fortrose Branch, also known as the Black Isle Railway is an historic railway in Scotland.-History:Authorisation was obtained on 4 July 1890 to build a 15.75 mile branch line from Muir of Ord to Rosemarkie; however the line never proceeded beyond Fortrose.* 1 February 1894 - Opened .* 1 January...
.
Future expansion
For many years there have been proposals to bypass this Lairg loop with a line across the Dornoch Firth, linking Tain (via DornochDornoch
Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
) more directly with Golspie. This would involve building a new bridge over the Firth, or making dual-purpose the bridge which now carries just the A9. Discussions have been held concerning the shortening of the Far North Line involving a bridge over the Dornoch Firth
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
and the possible use of the trackbed of the former light railway. Nothing has yet come of these ideas.