Altnabreac railway station

UK stations
name = Altnabreac
other_name =
code = ABC


caption = Altnabreac Railway Station
manager = First ScotRail
locale = Altnabreac
borough = Highland
start =
platforms = 1 (originally 2)
lowusage0203 = 93
lowusage0405 = 164
lowusage0506 = 171
lowusage0607 = 222
original = Sutherland and Caithness Railway
pregroup = Highland Railway
postgroup = LMSR
years = 28 July 1874
events = Open [Butt, 1995]
years1 =
events1 =|

Altnabreac railway station is a rural railway station serving the tiny settlement of Altnabreac, Highland, 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 miles) west of Wick.

It is a request stop used almost solely by walkers and those who enjoy visiting obscure locations.

The apparent almost 100% increase in patronage over the last few years may in fact be due to a change in the methods used to measure passenger numbers, see Usage Notes.

History

The station was opened by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway, 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 Railways.

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.

Some pupils for Altnabreac School formerly arrived by train.

ervices

Monday to Saturday three per day operate to eastbound to Wick and westbound to Inverness with two trains a day on Sundays.

rail line
previous = Forsinard
next = Scotscalder
route = First ScotRail
Far North Line
col = FF80C0rail line
previous = Forsinard
"Station and Line open"
next = Scotscalder
"Station and Line open"
route = Highland Railway

Sutherland and Caithness Railway
col = HR colour
###@@@KEYEND@@@###

References

Notes

Sources

*
*
* [http://railscot.co.uk/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway/frame.htm RAILSCOT article on Sutherland and Caithness Railway]
* [http://www.jbutler.org.uk/e2e/csw/w11/index.shtml Page including discussion of why Altnabreac Station exists]
* [http://www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_my_p_0/0_my_photographs_0_scottish_railway_stations_-_altnabreac_recollections.htm Recollections of Altnabreac Station and School]
* [http://www.railscot.co.uk/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway/frame.htm RAILSCOT on Sutherland and Caithness Railway]