Altnabreac railway station
Encyclopedia
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 66 km (41 mi) 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.
on 28 July 1874 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
ways.
The reason for the station's construction is a mystery, since it pre-dates the hotel/lodge 1 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. It has been reported, however, that the station's continued existence is owed to the former Caithness County Council enacting a policy to close no further railway stations, shortly before that body was dissolved and Caithness became a mere district, which lacked the capacity to over-rule the earlier policy http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=250943.
Some pupils for Altnabreac School formerly arrived by train.
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. Despite these increases, Altnabreac remains the 8th least used station in Britain according to 2009-10 Statistics.
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...
; a settlement in which the station is itself the main component. The station is on the Far North Line
Far North Line
The Far North Line is a rural railway line entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, extending from Inverness to Thurso and Wick.- Route :...
, within the former county of Caithness 66 km (41 mi) west of Wick
Wick railway station
Wick railway station is a railway station serving the town of Wick, in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. The station is the terminus of the Far North Line, near Wick police station and Caithness General Hospital, within the former county of Caithness.- History :The station was...
.
One of Britain's most isolated stations, it is a request stop
Request stop
In public transport, a request stop or flag stop describes a stopping point at which trains or buses stop only on an as-need or request basis; that is, only if there are passengers to be picked up or dropped off. In this way, infrequently used stopping points can be served efficiently.Trains save...
used almost solely by walkers and those who enjoy visiting obscure locations.
History
The station was opened by the Sutherland and Caithness RailwaySutherland and Caithness Railway
The Sutherland and Caithness Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed by the Highland Railway running through Sutherland and Caithness, Scotland. Caithness and Sutherland are former counties, and former districts of the Highland region.- History :...
on 28 July 1874 and later absorbed by the 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...
. Taken into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway
London, Midland and Scottish Railway
The London Midland and Scottish Railway was a British railway company. It was formed on 1 January 1923 under the Railways Act of 1921, which required the grouping of over 120 separate railway companies into just four...
during the Grouping
Railways Act 1921
The Railways Act 1921, also known as the Grouping Act, was an enactment by the British government of David Lloyd George intended to stem the losses being made by many of the country's 120 railway companies, move the railways away from internal competition, and to retain some of the benefits which...
of 1923, the line then passed on to the Scottish Region of British Railways
Scottish Region of British Railways
The Scottish Region was one of the six regions created on British Railways and consisted of ex-London, Midland and Scottish Railway and ex-London and North Eastern Railway lines in Scotland...
on nationalisation in 1948.
When Sectorisation
British Rail brand names
British Rail was the brand image of the nationalised railway owner and operator in Great Britain, the British Railways Board, used from 1965 until its breakup and sell-off from 1993 onwards....
was introduced, the station became part of ScotRail
ScotRail
ScotRail was a brand name used for all Scottish regional and commuter rail services, including some cross-border services, from 1997 to 2004....
until the Privatisation of British Rail
Privatisation of British Rail
The privatisation of British Rail was set in motion when the Conservative government enacted, on 19 January 1993, the British Coal and British Rail Act 1993 . This enabled the relevant Secretary of State to issue directions to the relevant Board...
ways.
The reason for the station's construction is a mystery, since it pre-dates the hotel/lodge 1 mile to the south - the only obvious source of trade. It had however a passing loop
Passing loop
A passing loop is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at a station, where trains or trams in opposing directions can pass each other. Trains/trams in the same direction can also overtake, providing that the signalling arrangement allows it...
with a water-tank, so may have been established for purely operational reasons. It has been reported, however, that the station's continued existence is owed to the former Caithness County Council enacting a policy to close no further railway stations, shortly before that body was dissolved and Caithness became a mere district, which lacked the capacity to over-rule the earlier policy http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=250943.
Some pupils for Altnabreac School formerly arrived by train.
Services
Monday to Saturday three trains per day operate eastbound to Wick and westbound to , 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. Despite these increases, Altnabreac remains the 8th least used station in Britain according to 2009-10 Statistics.