Far North Line 2019

A collection of photos taken on 17th/18th June 2019, my first ride on the Far North Line since the summer of 1990.
David Bosher

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<h4><a href='/locations/R/Rogart'>Rogart</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>158707 from Inverness to Wick via Thurso departing from the request stop at Rogart on the evening of Sunday, 16th June 2019. This is where my friend Paul and I alighted (after first alerting the guard) to spend the night in one of the converted railway coaches that are berthed here. Very comfortable it was too, with shower, kitchen and dining area and former compartments converted to bedrooms with bunk beds on one side and the original seats on the other. We had separate rooms, of course, but both of us are a bit too advanced in years now to make it to the top bunks! 1/20</p><p>16/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/R/Rogart'>Rogart</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>Former railway coach converted into overnight accommodation at Rogart on the Far North of Scotland Line, seen here on the evening of Sunday, 16th June 2019. This is where Paul and I stayed for one night only before going on to Thurso and Wick the following day and then back to Alness in the evening. I had never stayed in an old railway coach before and it was a most interesting and enjoyable experience that I can thoroughly recommend. Anybody else wishing to enjoy a stay here can do so by contacting www.sleeperzz.com (and I have not been paid by the owners to say that.) 2/20</p><p>16/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/R/Rogart'>Rogart</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>Former compartment of railway coach converted into bedroom for holiday accommodation at Rogart on the Far North of Scotland Line, on 16th June 2019. On the other side of the carriages, the original seats remain in place. 3/20</p><p>16/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/R/Rogart'>Rogart</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>The main station building at Rogart on the Far North Line, now a private residence occupied by a charming couple who gave us a profuse welcome when we arrived to stay the night in one of their converted railway coaches. This station was one of several on this line that closed on 13th June 1960 but it dawned rather quickly on the powers-that-be that the closures were somewhat more severe than necessary and Rogart was the first to reopen on 6th March 1961. 4/20</p><p>16/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/R/Rogart'>Rogart</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>158707, with the first train of the day from Wick via Thurso to Inverness, departing from the request stop at Rogart, early on the morning of Monday, 17th June 2019. People are supposed to loathe Monday mornings but this was one I didn't mind in the slightest! 5/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/R/Rogart'>Rogart</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>The first train of the day from Inverness to Wick via Thurso, in the hands of 158720, arriving at Rogart station, dead on time at 09.06 on 17th June 2019. I'm used to hailing buses in London but this was the first time I'd ever hailed a train, Rogart being a request stop. We then went to Thurso for lunch before going on to Wick for afternoon tea and back to Alness for an overnight stop in an excellent b & b. Note too the mounting block to assist passengers to and from the very low platform. 6/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/T/Thurso'>Thurso</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway'>Sutherland and Caithness Railway</a></small></p><p>Having reversed at Georgemas Junction, 158 720 from Inverness has just arrived at Thurso station at 10.58 on Monday, 17th June 2019. The most northerly station on the UK mainland and saved from being closed under Beeching along with the lines to Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh from Inverness in 1965. The train waited here for a few minutes before returning back down the branch and on to Wick, thus serving Georgemas Junction twice. 7/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/T/Thurso'>Thurso</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway'>Sutherland and Caithness Railway</a></small></p><p>158720 just arrived at Thurso station from Inverness at 10.58 (this photo was taken three minutes later) on 17th June 2019. Trains no longer pull up under the train shed - but they still do so at Wick. 8/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/T/Thurso'>Thurso</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway'>Sutherland and Caithness Railway</a></small></p><p>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 departing back to Georgemas Junction and continuing on to Wick. Since the abandonment of splitting trains at Georgemas into Thurso and Wick portions, running a single service up to Thurso first before reversing for Wick has, at least, given a direct rail service between the two main towns of Caithness, even if it does take longer now for Wick passengers to reach their destination. 9/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/T/The_Mound'>The Mound</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>Substantial remains of the former The Mound station, one-time junction for the branch to Dornoch, being passed by 158720 from Inverness to Wick via Thurso, on the morning of Monday, 17th June 2019. Both the Dornoch branch and The Mound closed on 13th June 1960. The old station at Dornoch also survives to this day and which I visited way back in June 1990. See image <a href='/img/69/579/index.html'>69579</a>. 10/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/G/Georgemas_Junction'>Georgemas Junction</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway'>Sutherland and Caithness Railway</a></small></p><p>Georgemas Junction station building, the UK's most northerly junction, where the Wick and Thurso lines divide, seen in heavy rain from 158717 returning from Thurso before continuing to Wick, on 17th June 2019. This train will have reversed at this station only half an hour or so earlier to go up to Thurso, reversing again there and thus serving Georgemas twice in the now even longer journey from Inverness to Wick. 11/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/W/Wick'>Wick</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway'>Sutherland and Caithness Railway</a></small></p><p>Unlike at Thurso, trains still pull up beneath the train shed at Wick station where 158717 rests after its long journey from Inverness (via Thurso) at 14.56 on 17th June 2019. It returned to Inverness at 16.00 (again via Thurso) which gave us just an hour for a quick look round Wick (which I had not been to since 1990) and find a cafe for afternoon tea before returning south to our b & b for the night at Alness. 12/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/W/Wick'>Wick</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway'>Sutherland and Caithness Railway</a></small></p><p>Wick station opened 145 years ago on 28th July 1874 and was almost Beechinged, along with Thurso and the entire line back to Inverness, as well as the Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh line but was thankfully reprieved. Alas, the same cannot be said for the lines to the Moray Coast and Fraserburgh and Peterhead, the latter two towns now many miles from the nearest railway tracks. Had sense prevailed, they could still be enjoying a rail service as Wick and Thurso do but, despite vociferous protests, it was to no avail. This view of the exterior of Wick station is on 17th June 2019. 13/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/L/Lairg'>Lairg</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/S/Sutherland_Railway'>Sutherland Railway</a></small></p><p>Lairg station building, now a private residence, seen from 158717 calling at the shortened southbound platform with the ex-16.00 service from Wick via Thurso to Inverness, on 17th June 2019. 14/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/T/Tain'>Tain</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/I/Inverness_and_Ross-shire_Railway'>Inverness and Ross-shire Railway</a></small></p><p>158717 with the ex-16.00 service from Wick via Thurso to Inverness calling at Tain station on 17th June 2019. My friend Paul and I were bound to our one night's b & b at Alness and this train did not stop there so we had to change here at Tain and await a stopping train to Inverness which started from the next station north at Ardgay. 15/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/A/Alness'>Alness</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/I/Inverness_and_Ross-shire_Railway'>Inverness and Ross-shire Railway</a></small></p><p>The single platform Alness station, on the Far North of Scotland line, looking north on the evening of 17th June 2019. This was one of several stations on the line that closed on 13th June 1960 (along with the branch from The Mound to Dornoch), an attempt at closure by stealth of the entire line although Rogart, also closed at that time, reopened very quickly on 6th March 1961. After the line was saved (and quite rightly, too) several other closed stations were later reopened and Alness came back from the dead on 7th May 1973. It is just a basic platform with, inevitably, a ubiquitous bus stop style waiting shelter but better that than no station at all for this very pleasant Highlands town. 16/20</p><p>17/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/D/Dingwall'>Dingwall</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/I/Inverness_and_Ross-shire_Railway'>Inverness and Ross-shire Railway</a></small></p><p>Exterior of Dingwall station, on the Highland Railway main line north of Inverness and the junction for the scenic Kyle of Lochalsh branch, on the afternoon of Tuesday, 18th June 2019. This and the lines to Wick and Thurso were listed for closure in the infamous 1963 Beeching Report but were thankfully reprieved in 1965. 17/20</p><p>18/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/D/Dingwall'>Dingwall</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/I/Inverness_and_Ross-shire_Railway'>Inverness and Ross-shire Railway</a></small></p><p>Plaque at Dingwall station, seen here on the afternoon of Tuesday, 18th June 2019. 18/20</p><p>18/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/D/Dingwall'>Dingwall</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/I/Inverness_and_Ross-shire_Railway'>Inverness and Ross-shire Railway</a></small></p><p>66303 and 66304, with a Georgemas (for Dounreay) flask train, at Dingwall on 18th June 2019. 19/20</p><p>18/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p> <h4><a href='/locations/B/Beauly'>Beauly</a></h4><p><small><a href='/companies/I/Inverness_and_Ross-shire_Railway'>Inverness and Ross-shire Railway</a></small></p><p>Beauly station, Far North of Scotland Line, on 18th June 2019. The original station, on the opposite side of the line and much bigger and grander and still standing, closed on 13th June 1960 along with several others on the line but it was not until 15th April 2002 that this new station opened. It has the shortest platform in the UK, measuring just 49.4 ft. and only able to accommodate one carriage with just one door available for entry and exit. Since trains have stopped at Beauly again, there has been a big increase in the number of passengers switching from bus to train which led to the nearby station at Conon Bridge (also closed in 1960) being reopened on 8th February 2013 and whose platform is slightly longer at 49.5 ft. Just proves how short-sighted the closures of the Moray Coast and Fraserburgh and Peterhead lines were, and there are very many more throughout the UK that can be added to the list. 20/20</p><p>18/06/2019<br><small><a href='/contributors/David_Bosher'>David Bosher</a></small></p>
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