Forres railway station
Encyclopedia
Forres railway station serves the town of Forres
, Moray
in Scotland
. The station is managed by First ScotRail
and is on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line
.
Although Forres is still serving passenger trains to the east and west, it was once possible to travel south on the railway to Perth
via on the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
, meeting with the GNSR (via Craigellachie) at Boat of Garten station.
(on the north-east coast). Problems occurred when connecting at Aberdeen from Inverness trains - Aberdeen was the terminus for two railway companies, and therefore had two separate stations: One served the east and the other was the starting point for services to the south (via the coast). Although they were connected by a bus, connections were often missed and passengers remained stranded after missing the daily connection south.
Plans for a more direct route via Carrbridge
had been rejected by parliament as too ambitious. Engineer Joseph Mitchell planned an alternative route via Dava and work was completed on the line by August 1863.
Forres was chosen as the junction for the new mainline south, since it was the half-way point on the Inverness & Aberdeen Junction Railway between Inverness and Keith. Keith was also an important railway junction and the point where the line joined the GNSR and branches to the coast and Strathspey.
The station building was located between the current track and signal box
, and the former goods loop (which was the original main line, before the junction was constructed). This served trains from Inverness to connect with the GNSR in Elgin. The station building was demolished in the 1950s. It had been used as the stationmaster's house since the junction opened.
The location of the new station was south-west of the existing Inverness-Aberdeen line. The original line was retained as a goods loop, with trains now leaving and re-joining the line (east-west) on a curve. Services from Inverness to Perth curved to the south on a junction at the west of the station, to arrive at the southbound platforms.
Both Inverness-Keith and Inverness-Perth trains had double platforms for trains travelling in both directions. Since it was the mainline south, generous platforms were constructed to accommodate the expresses.
Trains travelling from the east to the south had a single platform at the east of the station. This was not used for normal passenger services. The station was originally accessed from Tytler Street (originally 'Station Road'). Since the line and platform crossed the road, there was a gap in the east platform to allow the road into the station. The level crossing gates closed the entrance to the station, when the curve was used by trains.
Three individual signal boxes controlled the junctions and each point of the triangle:
The original 1863 building was constructed out of wood. The current building is located directly in front of the site of the 1863 station.
The Dava route closed completely to passengers in 1965 and goods services ended completely by 1968. A short section of the southbound platforms remains, whilst the trackbed is partially in use as a station car park.
The exit from the station building to the Dava platforms still exists. The original gates protect a now abandoned corridor, with all waiting rooms and facilities now bricked-up.
The east platform existed until the mid 1970s following closure of the junction to passengers in 1965 and to goods in 1967, after which the once extensive layout of Forres station was simplified to single track operations (with a passing loop to the east, at the former Forres East signal box). All traces of the part of the station has been obliterated by the construction of the Forres by-pass. For many years (until construction of the by-pass), one of the level crossing gates was retained for use as fencing beside the Royal Hotel.
The Inverness-Aberdeen down platform was closed in 1965 and exists abandoned in-situ, although the track was lifted at closure. The standard Highland Railways over-bridge was removed, but the concrete bases remain and indicate its location.
The signal boxes that controlled the west and the south junctions (Forres South, Forres West) have long gone, and no trace remains. The box at Forres East still remains. It was renamed to 'Forres' and is still in use, operating semaphore signals. Token exchanges still take place here.
The goods yard is now completely demolished and track lifted. The site is now overgrown and awaits development. However, the semaphore signal, and a short section of access track from the east, still exists.
A single Highland Railway
fencing post can be found at Robertson/Iowa Place, at the junction with Miekle Cruik. This was the location of a level crossing.http://www.forres-gazette.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2500/Forres_railways,_1960s.html
The Grantown road also crossed the railway, on an over-bridge at the foot of Mannachie Road. The line emerged just to the right of the road to Thornhill farm. Another over-bridge remains further up Mannachie rise, where the trackbed can be found in a cutting. The is part filled as part of a housing development. The trackbed can be easily found out of Forres as part of The Dava Way.
Forres
Forres , is a town and former royal burgh situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 30 miles east of Inverness. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions...
, Moray
Moray
Moray is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland.- History :...
in 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...
. The station is managed by First ScotRail
First ScotRail
ScotRail Railways Ltd. is the FirstGroup-owned train operating company running domestic passenger trains within Scotland, northern England and the cross-border Caledonian Sleeper service to London using the brand ScotRail which is the property of the Scottish Government...
and is on 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...
.
Although Forres is still serving passenger trains to the east and west, it was once possible to travel south on the railway to 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...
via on the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
The Inverness and Perth Junction Railway was built to link the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway at Forres and Perth and Dunkeld Railway, ultimately absorbing the latter.- History :...
, meeting with the GNSR (via Craigellachie) at Boat of Garten station.
History
Prior to the Dava route opening, all services to the south began at AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
(on the north-east coast). Problems occurred when connecting at Aberdeen from Inverness trains - Aberdeen was the terminus for two railway companies, and therefore had two separate stations: One served the east and the other was the starting point for services to the south (via the coast). Although they were connected by a bus, connections were often missed and passengers remained stranded after missing the daily connection south.
Plans for a more direct route via Carrbridge
Carrbridge
Carrbridge is a village in Badenoch and Strathspey in the Scottish Highlands. It lies off the A9 road on the A938 road, west of Skye of Curr, southeast of Findhom Bridge, near Bogroy.It has the oldest stone bridge in the Highlands and nearby ancient pine forest contains the Landmark Forest...
had been rejected by parliament as too ambitious. Engineer Joseph Mitchell planned an alternative route via Dava and work was completed on the line by August 1863.
Forres was chosen as the junction for the new mainline south, since it was the half-way point on the Inverness & Aberdeen Junction Railway between Inverness and Keith. Keith was also an important railway junction and the point where the line joined the GNSR and branches to the coast and Strathspey.
1858
The first railway station in Forres which was located at the end of Invererne Road. On the OS map for 1863, this road is named appropriately 'Old Station Road'.The station building was located between the current track and signal box
Signal box
On a rail transport system, signalling control is the process by which control is exercised over train movements by way of railway signals and block systems to ensure that trains operate safely, over the correct route and to the proper timetable...
, and the former goods loop (which was the original main line, before the junction was constructed). This served trains from Inverness to connect with the GNSR in Elgin. The station building was demolished in the 1950s. It had been used as the stationmaster's house since the junction opened.
1863
The opening of the junction required a new 'triangular' station to be constructed to allow all trains entering Forres, from either the East or West, to access the new line directly on a curve. The three curved platforms, and three junctions, gave the new Forres station its distinctive layout.The location of the new station was south-west of the existing Inverness-Aberdeen line. The original line was retained as a goods loop, with trains now leaving and re-joining the line (east-west) on a curve. Services from Inverness to Perth curved to the south on a junction at the west of the station, to arrive at the southbound platforms.
Both Inverness-Keith and Inverness-Perth trains had double platforms for trains travelling in both directions. Since it was the mainline south, generous platforms were constructed to accommodate the expresses.
Trains travelling from the east to the south had a single platform at the east of the station. This was not used for normal passenger services. The station was originally accessed from Tytler Street (originally 'Station Road'). Since the line and platform crossed the road, there was a gap in the east platform to allow the road into the station. The level crossing gates closed the entrance to the station, when the curve was used by trains.
Three individual signal boxes controlled the junctions and each point of the triangle:
- Forres East
- Forres West
- Forres South
1955
During 1954-55, the station building was replaced with the current red brick building. This included a new ticket office, toilets and waiting rooms.The original 1863 building was constructed out of wood. The current building is located directly in front of the site of the 1863 station.
Goods yard
Forres once had an extensive goods yard. Whisky from the Dallas Dhu distillery was moved from the distillery sidings in wagons. Engines were stored in a two-road engine shed. There were coaling facilities and a turntable.Closure and remains
The Inverness-Perth (via Forres) had become a secondary route following the eventual construction of the Inverness-Aviemore direct route by 1884. The Dava lines and platforms at Forres was eventually singled and a wall erected in its place of the down platform (now demolished).The Dava route closed completely to passengers in 1965 and goods services ended completely by 1968. A short section of the southbound platforms remains, whilst the trackbed is partially in use as a station car park.
The exit from the station building to the Dava platforms still exists. The original gates protect a now abandoned corridor, with all waiting rooms and facilities now bricked-up.
The east platform existed until the mid 1970s following closure of the junction to passengers in 1965 and to goods in 1967, after which the once extensive layout of Forres station was simplified to single track operations (with a passing loop to the east, at the former Forres East signal box). All traces of the part of the station has been obliterated by the construction of the Forres by-pass. For many years (until construction of the by-pass), one of the level crossing gates was retained for use as fencing beside the Royal Hotel.
The Inverness-Aberdeen down platform was closed in 1965 and exists abandoned in-situ, although the track was lifted at closure. The standard Highland Railways over-bridge was removed, but the concrete bases remain and indicate its location.
The signal boxes that controlled the west and the south junctions (Forres South, Forres West) have long gone, and no trace remains. The box at Forres East still remains. It was renamed to 'Forres' and is still in use, operating semaphore signals. Token exchanges still take place here.
The goods yard is now completely demolished and track lifted. The site is now overgrown and awaits development. However, the semaphore signal, and a short section of access track from the east, still exists.
A single 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...
fencing post can be found at Robertson/Iowa Place, at the junction with Miekle Cruik. This was the location of a level crossing.http://www.forres-gazette.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2500/Forres_railways,_1960s.html
Other demolished features
The Nairn road crossed the railway on an over-bridge. This was located near to 'Old Bridge court' which was named in memory of the former railway bridge. No trace remains.The Grantown road also crossed the railway, on an over-bridge at the foot of Mannachie Road. The line emerged just to the right of the road to Thornhill farm. Another over-bridge remains further up Mannachie rise, where the trackbed can be found in a cutting. The is part filled as part of a housing development. The trackbed can be easily found out of Forres as part of The Dava Way.