The Mound railway station
Encyclopedia
The Mound railway station was a former railway station on the Far North Line
near the head of Loch Fleet
in Scotland. For more than half of its life it was the junction for .
opened between and on 13 April 1868. Among the intermediate stations was one at The Mound, which opened with the line. It was 80 miles (128.7472 km) from , 3 miles (4.82802 km) from and 3 miles (4.82802 km) from . The station took its name from the nearby road embankment engineered in 1817 by Thomas Telford
across the head of Loch Fleet
, which is now on the route of the A9 road. In 1873–74 the station had one platform on the southern side of the line; on the northern side of the line there were two goods sidings.
In 1895, a tree blew down near to the station, and it fell on the rear of the sorting carriage of a mail train from Inverness to . The sorter was unhurt as he was working in the front half of the carriage at the time.
On 2 June 1902, the Dornoch Light Railway
was opened, which connected to the main line at a junction situated 11 chains (221.3 m) to the west of The Mound station. The platform for the Dornoch branch curved away from that of the main line. In 1906 the station had two platforms, one for each route; there was a passing loop on the main line, and the platform for the Dornoch branch had a run-round loop. Adjacent to the main line passing loop were two goods sidings, and there were three sidings to the west of the station, two of which were on the southern side of the line.
In 1922, there were six trains per day – in the up direction, departures were at 6:17 am, 11:30 am and 5:20 pm to Inverness; departures in the down direction were at 10:31 am and 1:55 pm to and 6:38 pm to Helmsdale. Trains called at most intermediate stations, although some were request stops. There were no trains on Sundays.
The Dornoch branch closed on 13 June 1960, and The Mound station closed the same day. The line remains open, and the nearest station is now Golspie.
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 :...
near the head of Loch Fleet
Loch Fleet
Loch Fleet is a sea loch on the east coast of Scotland, located between Golspie and Dornoch. It forms the estuary of the River Fleet, a small spate river that rises in the hills east of Lairg.-Geography and geology:...
in Scotland. For more than half of its life it was the junction for .
History
The Sutherland RailwaySutherland Railway
The Sutherland Railway was a railway worked by, and later absorbed in 1884 by the Highland Railway running through Sutherland, Scotland. Sutherland is a former county, and former districts of the Highland region....
opened between and on 13 April 1868. Among the intermediate stations was one at The Mound, which opened with the line. It was 80 miles (128.7472 km) from , 3 miles (4.82802 km) from and 3 miles (4.82802 km) from . The station took its name from the nearby road embankment engineered in 1817 by Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
across the head of Loch Fleet
Loch Fleet
Loch Fleet is a sea loch on the east coast of Scotland, located between Golspie and Dornoch. It forms the estuary of the River Fleet, a small spate river that rises in the hills east of Lairg.-Geography and geology:...
, which is now on the route of the A9 road. In 1873–74 the station had one platform on the southern side of the line; on the northern side of the line there were two goods sidings.
In 1895, a tree blew down near to the station, and it fell on the rear of the sorting carriage of a mail train from Inverness to . The sorter was unhurt as he was working in the front half of the carriage at the time.
On 2 June 1902, the Dornoch Light Railway
Dornoch Light Railway
Dornoch Light Railway was an historic railway in Scotland that ran from on the Sutherland Railway to the county town of Sutherland, Dornoch. This railway is closed....
was opened, which connected to the main line at a junction situated 11 chains (221.3 m) to the west of The Mound station. The platform for the Dornoch branch curved away from that of the main line. In 1906 the station had two platforms, one for each route; there was a passing loop on the main line, and the platform for the Dornoch branch had a run-round loop. Adjacent to the main line passing loop were two goods sidings, and there were three sidings to the west of the station, two of which were on the southern side of the line.
In 1922, there were six trains per day – in the up direction, departures were at 6:17 am, 11:30 am and 5:20 pm to Inverness; departures in the down direction were at 10:31 am and 1:55 pm to and 6:38 pm to Helmsdale. Trains called at most intermediate stations, although some were request stops. There were no trains on Sundays.
The Dornoch branch closed on 13 June 1960, and The Mound station closed the same day. The line remains open, and the nearest station is now Golspie.