Altnabreac railway station
Altnabreac | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Location | Highland |
| Managed by | First ScotRail |
| Platforms | 1 |
| Other information | |
| Station code | ABC |
| History | |
| Original company | Sutherland and Caithness Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Highland Railway |
| Post-grouping | LMSR |
| Key dates | |
| 28 July 1874 | Opened[1] |
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Altnabreac railway station is a rural railway station serving the tiny settlement of Altnabreac, in the Highland council area of Scotland; a settlement in which the station is itself the main component. The station is on the Far North Line, within the former county of Caithness, 41 miles (66 km) west of Wick.
One of Britain's most isolated stations, it is a request stop used almost solely by walkers and those who enjoy visiting obscure locations.
History
The station was opened by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway on 28 July 1874[1] and later absorbed by the Highland Railway. Taken into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923, the line then passed on to the Scottish Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation was introduced, the station became part of ScotRail until the Privatisation of British Rail.
The reason for the station's construction is a mystery, since it pre-dates the hotel/lodge one mile to the south - the only obvious source of trade. It had however a passing loop with a water-tank, so may have been established for purely operational reasons.
Some pupils of the former Altnabreac School arrived by train.
Services
Monday to Saturday, three trains per day operate eastbound to Wick and westbound to Inverness, with two trains a day on Sundays.
The apparent almost 100% increase in patronage over the last few years may be due to a change in the methods used to measure passenger numbers; see Usage Notes.[2] Despite these increases, Altnabreac remains the 8th least used station in Britain according to 2009-10 statistics.
| Preceding station |  National Rail
|
Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forsinard | style="background:#Template:First ScotRail colour; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" | | First ScotRail Far North Line |
style="background:#Template:First ScotRail colour; color:inherit; border-left: 0px none; border-right: 0px none; border-top:1px #aaa solid; border-bottom:0px none;" | | Scotscalder |
| Historical railways | ||||
| Forsinard Station and Line open |
Highland Railway Sutherland and Caithness Railway |
Scotscalder Station and Line open | ||
References
Notes
- ^ a b Butt (1995), page 15
- ^ Office of Rail Regulation: Station Usage
Sources
- Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
- Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.
- RAILSCOT article on Sutherland and Caithness Railway
- Page including discussion of why Altnabreac Station exists
- Recollections of Altnabreac Station and School
- RAILSCOT on Sutherland and Caithness Railway
- Station on navigable O.S. map