Sutherland and Caithness Railway

Introduction

This line is open. This is one of the most beautiful and wild railway lines in Britain. Passenger services are provided by ScotRail between Wick, Thurso, Helmsdale and Inverness. Stations remain in use at Helmsdale, Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Altnabreac, Scotscalder, Georgemas Junction, Thurso and Wick. The line is supported and promoted by the Friends of the Far North Line .






Dates

  /  /1871Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Act receives Royal assent.
28/07/1874Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Line opened from Helmsdale (Duke of Sutherland's Railway) to Wick with stations at Salzcraggie (Private), Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Altnabreac, Scotscalder, Halkirk, Georgemas Junction, Hoy, Thurso, Bower, Watten, Bilbster and Wick.
  /  /1878Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Borrobol Platform opened.
28/07/1884Sutherland and Caithness RailwayHighland Railway
Sutherland and Caithness Railway absorbed by Highland Railway.
01/07/1903Wick and Lybster Light Railway
Line opened from Wick (Sutherland and Caithness Railway) to Lybster.
24/05/1907Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Salzcraggie Platform opened to public.
  /  /1912Wick Quarries
Wick Quarries close. Many families emigrate using the Sutherland and Caithness Railway.
  /  /1955Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Dounreay Nuclear Power Station site opened. Traffic goes by rail.
13/06/1960Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Halkirk, Bower, Watten and Bilbster closed.
  /  /1962Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Helmsdale Shed and Wick Shed closed.
10/09/1962Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Borrobol Platform renamed Borrobol.
25/11/1965Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Salzcraggie Platform, Borrobol and Hoy closed.
  /  /1991Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Pipes delivered by rail to Wick.
  /09/1995Sutherland and Caithness Railway
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway begins to carry south new fridges and freezers (manufactured by Norfrost near Georgemas) from Georgemas Junction to Leyland Business Park. Steel for the products is carried in the reverse direction.
  /11/2001Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Thurso Viaduct strengthened to allow Class 66s to reach Thurso.
18/10/2002Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Car struck by train at Halkirk level crossing.
  /10/2006Inverness and Ross-shire Railway Dingwall and Skye Railway Sutherland Railway Duke of Sutherland's Railway Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Landslips and flood damage close the Far North and Kyle lines between Dingwall and Garve, at Helmsdale, at Ardgay and Watten .
18/04/2011Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Lineside fire thought to have been started by sparks from passing steam locomotive.
  /07/2018Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Consideration of closing Kildonan, third lowest use station in Scotland.
30/04/2019Sutherland and Caithness Railway
Final plaque (of 17) commemorating the running of the Jellicoe Express unveiled at Forsinard.

Locations along the line

These locations are along the line.

This is a two platform station with a passing loop on the Far North Line. The main station building, of two storeys, is on the southbound platform. This has similarities to that at Golspie, by the same architect William Fowler. Platforms are linked by a typical Highland Railway lattice footbridge.
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See also
Duke of Sutherland^s Railway
Helmsdale 30 September 2017. ...
John Yellowlees 30/09/2017
WRVS poster at Helmsdale. This poster has a quote from Geordie Adams, the fireman from the Jellicoe Express who today unveiled the plaque. ...
John Yellowlees 29/09/2017
This new plaque was unveiled today at Helmsdale by Geordie Adams, who was a fireman on the Jellicoe Express during the Second World War. ...
John Yellowlees 30/09/2017
A new plaque and poster were unveiled today at Helmsdale by Geordie Adams, who was a fireman on the Jellicoe Express during the Second World War. ...
John Yellowlees 30/09/2017
4 of 42 images. more


This two road shed was located just north of Helmsdale station to the west side of the line. Its turntable was to the west alongside the approach lines. A pair of short sidings were a little further north alongside the turntable line.
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Duke of Sutherland^s Railway
View looking south over the site of the former Helmsdale engine shed towards Helmsdale station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Helmsdale Turntable Pit, 1994. ...
John Gray //
The abandoned turntable pit at Helmsdale in 1988, looking north. ...
Ewan Crawford //1998
3 of 3 images.


This was a single platform halt on the Far North Line. Salscraggie Lodge (different spelling) is to the north, over the River Helmsdale. A footbridge, now gone, crossed the river. The lodge is named for the hillside to the north Solus Craggie.
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This is a single platform station on the Far North Line. The platform is on the east side of the line. There is a level crossing to the immediate south of the station.
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The waiting room on the disused northbound platform of Kildonan station in 1996. ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
Level crossing at Kildonan - 27 August 2007. ...
John Furnevel 27/8/2007
Black 5 No.44871 leads The Great Britain IX through the Strath of Kildonan and begins to accelerate away from the bridge over the River Helmsdale up ...
John Gray 01/05/2016
The disused, but tidy, redundant waiting shelter on the former down platform at Kildonan station in June 2013. See image 43610 ...
David Pesterfield 23/06/2013
4 of 12 images. more


This was a single platform halt on the Far North Line, the platform was on the west side. The station was equipped with a request stop signal.
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This is a single platform station, formerly with two platforms and a loop. The cottage style station building still stands, in use as a house. To the north is a level crossing. There is no car park.
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Network Rail has completed the installation of 15 deer leaps along the railway boundary on the line between Kinbrace and Forsinard. ...
Network Rail /11/2021
Kinbrace station, like Forsinard, sits directly by the A897 rural road running south from Melvich on the north coast, to Helmsdale on the east coast ...
David Pesterfield 23/06/2013
Kinbrace looking south from the former northbound platform, now disused since the loop was lifted. ...
Ewan Crawford 29/12/1994
Mountain, moorland and big skies on 27th August 2015, as the 14.00 Inverness-Thurso/Wick coasts into Kinbrace. ...
David Spaven 27/08/2015
4 of 14 images. more


This is a two platform station with a passing loop. It is separated from the goods yard to the south, which is now a permanent way siding, by a level crossing.
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Forsinard looking south from the north, timber end of the platform, in 1994. The timber portions are where the line crosses a stream north of the ...
Ewan Crawford 29/12/1994
Forsinard's wooden platforms July 2013. The extensions of the platforms at the north end of the station are built in timber and cross over a burn and ...
Ian Dinmore /07/2013
Interior of the southbound platform shelter at Forsinard station in 1996 ...
Ewan Crawford //1996
Northbound Sprinter pauses at Forsinard viewed from the north end of the station at night in 1994. ...
Ewan Crawford 29/12/1994
4 of 30 images. more


This is a summit of the Far North Line located on the Sutherland / Caithness boundary between Forsinard and Altnabreac. The summit is at 708 ft above sea level.
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The special train run to commemorate the centenary of the 28th July 1874 opening of the final phase of the Far North Line powers up the gradient from ...
David Spaven 28/07/1974
Taking a quick break from the 100th anniversary special train on the Far North line in 1974, this official party includes the BR Area Manager Thurso ...
David Spaven //1974
The Safeway container train approaching County March Summit on its way north in February 2002 behind an EWS Class 66 locomotive. ...
Ewan Crawford /02/2002
Class 37 approaching County March summit with its train in a chilly January 1988. ...
Ian Dinmore /01/1988
4 of 5 images. more


This is a one platform station on the Far North Line with a permanent way siding to the south on the east side of the line, the former goods yard.
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The unused watertank at Altnabreac, on the disused down platform, is a remarkable survivor. ...
John Yellowlees 03/07/2016
Water column at the south end of Altnabreac in 1994, seen during a very heavy downpour. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/12/1994
Tablet catcher lying on the ground at Altnabreac station in 1994. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/12/1994
Smashed water column at Altnabreac, 1998. See image 28048 ...
Ewan Crawford //1998
4 of 13 images. more


This is a one platform (the former northbound platform) station on the Far North Line. The main station building still stands on the platform and there is a small car park.
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A northbound Sprinter approaches Scotscalder as the light begins to fail on the 30th of December 1994. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/12/1994
Final preparations are being made for the trial of a request-stop kiosk at Scotscalder on the Far North Line. The new equipment at Scotscalder will go ...
Network Rail /08/2022
A passenger train approaches Scotscalder from the south, the old loading bank is in the foreground. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Scotscalder looking to Georgemas Junction. ...
Ewan Crawford //1994
4 of 13 images. more


This station was between Scotscalder, to the west, and Georgemas Junction. It was located at a level crossing to the south of the village of Halkirk. It is a curious situation: Halkirk with the only real population nearby is closed but Georgemas Junction and Scotscalder remain open.
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Looking north at the closed Halkirk station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Maintenance and testing of warning lights and audible alarm being carried out at Bridge Street open level crossing, Halkirk, on 28 August 2007. View ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
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This trolley shed was located on the line running south from Georgemas, on the south side of the line.
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'The Georgemas' is the furthest north junction in Britain and is also a station. Here the lines to Wick and Thurso (accessed by reversal for a train from the south) divide. The station building remains standing, the ground floor formerly having been the offices and upper floor staff accommodation.
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Georgemas Junction station building, the UK's most northerly junction, where the Wick and Thurso lines divide, seen in heavy rain from 158717 ...
David Bosher 17/06/2019
ScotRail 158740 approaching Georgemas Junction on 28 August 2007 with a train off the Thurso line. ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
Lost Railfreight The freight sidings at Georgemas Junction with the Safeway train and Norfrost wagons in February 2002. These trains ceased ...
Ewan Crawford /02/2002
Pipes at Georgemas. ...
John Yellowlees 30/06/2016
4 of 50 images. more


This single platform station is closed. It was located between Georgemas Junction (to the south) and Thurso. The platform was on the east side of the line immediately north of a level crosing. There was a signal box at the south end of the platform by the crossing.
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Not much left here! The site of Hoy station (closed 1965), photographed on 28 August 2007 looking towards Thurso from the open level crossing. ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
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This single road shed was on the east side of Thurso station and approached from the south. The shed was close to the station's throat, at its south end. Access into the shed was over the turntable.
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Thurso engine shed viewed from the end of the loading bank in 1994. The shed has since been demolished. ...
Ewan Crawford 30/12/1994
HR 4.4.0 54404 Ben Clebrig at Thurso sheds. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 03/07/1950
HR 4.4.0 54404 Ben Clebrig at Thurso sheds. ...
G H Robin collection by courtesy of the Mitchell Library, Glasgow 03/07/1950
3 of 3 images.


This is a two platform station and is the furthest north station in Britain. The main platform, on the west side of the station's loop, is partly covered by the all-over timber roof of the station, a remarkable survivor, all the more remarkable that Wick has also survived. The other and shorter platform, without a loop, is on the west side of the island platform.
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Thurso 05 Oct 2017. ...
John Yellowlees 05/10/2017
156477 sits at Thurso on the afternoon of 17 March 1999, en route to Wick to then form the last departure of the day back to Inverness. I had ...
David Pesterfield 17/03/1999
DMU 158710 appears to exploring the outer limits of the UK railway system, and in practice it really is, for the driver has the terminus at Thurso in ...
Mark Dufton 08/06/2023
158717 from Inverness arriving in pouring rain at Thurso station at 14.21 on 17th June 2019. The train waited here for only six minutes before ...
David Bosher 17/06/2019
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This was a single platform station located on the south side of the line.
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The former Bower station viewed from the east. ...
Ewan Crawford //
First stop east from Georgemas Junction on the line to Wick was the station at Bower, seen here in the summer of 2007 looking north east. ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
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This was a two platform station on the Far North Line with a passing loop. The former westbound track remains, the eastbound one having been lifted. Both platforms remain, out of use. The former station building is similar to that at Georgemas Junction and is now a house. A level crossing exists to the west of the former station.
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A speeding along passenger train passes Watten on the way to Georgemas from Wick. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Looking east at the former Watten station. ...
Ewan Crawford //
The former station at Watten between Georgemas Junction and Wick on 28 August. View looking towards Wick from the level crossing. ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
Standing on the open level crossing at the former Watten station in August 2007 looking towards Wick. ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
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This was a single platform station, located on the south side of the line, just east of a level crossing. Bilbster House was a little to the south.
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Bilbster station viewed from the east. ...
Ewan Crawford //
Remains at Bilbster, once the first station west from Wick. Seen from the private crossing on 28 August looking southeast towards the end of the line. ...
John Furnevel 28/08/2007
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This two road shed was located south of the station, goods yard and livestock sidings. It was approached from the west.
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Inverness based Pickersgill 4-4-0 no 54495 on shed at Wick in September 1961. ...
David Stewart 08/09/1961
Scene inside the 2-road locomotive shed at Wick in 1961. Pickersgill ex-Caledonian 3P 4-4-0 54482 is a visitor from Inverness. The shed was officially ...
D Welsh Collection [Courtesy Bruce McCartney] //1961
Pickersgill 4-4-0 no 54495 photographed on shed at Wick in September 1961. ...
David Stewart 08/09/1961
Ex-Caledonian 4-4-0 no 54495 on shed at Wick in September 1961. ...
David Stewart 08/09/1961
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This is the end of the Far North Line from Inverness, the most distant station from the rest of the network. The furthest north station is Thurso. The station is to the south of the River Wick, in the west of the town. The town has a considerable harbour on Wick Bay, built for the once large fishing fleet.
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See also
Wick and Lybster Light Railway
A 1960s shot at Wick, with a Class 26 awaiting departure. ...
Brian Haslehust //1964
A 1960s shot of a Class 26 Type 2 with a mail coach at Wick. ...
Brian Haslehust //1964
Scotrail Class 156 2-car DMU 156446 tucks itself away under the trainshed at Wick, as it awaits time for the late morning departure back to Thurso and ...
David Pesterfield 17/03/1999
The exterior of Wick station, seen from the east in 1989. Note the Red Star Parcels sign. ...
Ewan Crawford 04/01/1989
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