Insch: A train on its way to Aberdeen just after leaving Insch.
Ewan Crawford 06/10/2018

Insch

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Insch (1854-)

Station code: INS National Rail ScotRail
Where: Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Opened on the Great North of Scotland Railway.
Open on the Aberdeen to Inverness.

Description

This is a two platform station with a fine single storey stone building on the eastbound platform, dating from 1880. A modern has been added over the street entrance. There is a good example of a Great North of Scotland Railway waiting shelter on the westbound platform. The station is at Rothney, to the south of Insch. There is a fine footbridge between the platforms.

There was a goods yard at the east end of the station on the north side of the line, approached from the east. This was one of the stations equipped with a passing loop when the railway was single track. After doubling there were two long sidings here, one to the east of the station on the south side of the line and one to the west of the station level crossing. Both were approached from the station.

North and South signal boxes opened in 1886. The present box was the north box. This controls
- the level crossing to the west of the station
- the east end of the double track section (which commences at Kennethmont and ends at the east end of Insch station)

Opposite the box is the base of a former water tank tower.

The line from the east was doubled in 1888 from Inveramsay. This led to the closure of the south box, now controlled from the north box which was renamed simply 'Insch'.

To the west was doubled as far as Huntly in 1896.

In 1969 the line east to Inverurie was singled.

There is a museum in the station building. Insch Connection Museum

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map




Chronology Dates

12/09/1854Great North of Scotland Railway
Huntly to Aberdeen Kittybrewster opened to freight. Passing places at: Aberdeen Kittybrewster, Kintore [1st], Inverurie, Insch and Huntly.
20/09/1854Great North of Scotland Railway
Huntly to Aberdeen Kittybrewster opened to passengers. Stations at: Aberdeen Kittybrewster, Buxsburn, Dyce [1st], Kintore [1st], Inverurie [1st], Pitcaple, Oyne, Insch, Kennethmont, Gartly, Huntly.
27/10/1888Great North of Scotland Railway
Doubled Inveramsay to Insch opened.
01/08/1896Great North of Scotland Railway
Doubled Insch to Kennethmont opened.
07/12/1969Great North of Scotland Railway
Insch to Inveramsay to Inverurie singled.

News items

25/09/2023Gordon MP's frustration as still no decision from UK Govt on improving access at Insch station [Grampian Online]
08/08/2023Aberdeen to Inverness trains cancelled after car crashes on to line [Press and Journal]
29/05/2023Emergency closure of B9002 following failure of Insch level crossing [Press and Journal]
08/12/2022Heavy snow sparks train cancellations, ScotRail warns [Inverness Courier]
27/12/2021Renovation work to be carried out at Insch railway station [Grampian Online]
11/12/2021Accessibility improvement plans at Insch railway station could soon be on right track [Press and Journal]
05/04/2021Works lead to level crossing closure at Insch [Grampian Online]
01/04/2021Improvement plans for one of the least-accessible stations in Scotland could move forward this month [Press and Journal]
16/02/2021Snow drifts continue to bring railway misery on Highland routes [Inverness Courier]
15/02/2021Snow drifts up to 50 metres long bury railway lines [Inverness Courier]

Books

150 Years of the Great North: Tales of the Little But Good
A History of the Great North of Scotland Railway

Banff, Moray and Nairn's Lost Railways

Great North Memories: Aberdeen No. 2: Scenes of the North East's Own Railway

Great North Memories: LNER Era, 1923-47

Great North of Scotland Railway (History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands, vol. 3)

Great North of Scotland Railway Album

Great North of Scotland Railway Album

Great North of Scotland Railway Carriages

Great North of Scotland Railway Locomotives

History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands: Great North of Scotland Railway v. 3
LNER Wagons: Volume 3: Scottish Area: Ex North British and Ex-Great North of Scotland Railway Wagons
Modelling the Great North of Scotland Railway
Moray Coast Railways
Scotland’s Lost Branch Lines: Where Beeching Got It Wrong

Signalling and Signal Boxes along the North British Railway, Great North of Scotland Railway and the CLC Routes

Speyside Railways: Exploring the Remains of the Great North of Scotland Railways and Its Environs

The Great North of Scotland Railway - A New History

The Travellers Joy: The Story of the Morayshire Railway