Highland Railway

Inverness and Perth Junction Railway

Although in 1860 Inverness had a rail link to the south, the route via Aberdeen was circuitous and involved a change between two railway stations over 1⁄2-mile (0.80 km) apart. Passengers were conveyed between the termini by omnibus, paid for in the through fare and with forty five minutes being allowed for the transfer. The GNoSR refused to hold its trains to connect with trains arriving at Guild Street. The mail train would be held until the Post Office van had arrived and the mail was on board, but the station locked at the advertised departure time to prevent connecting passengers further delaying the train. A more direct 111+3⁄4-mile (179.8 km) long route south to Perth, bypassing Aberdeen, was planned. This left the Inverness & Aberdeen Junction at Forres on a steeply graded line, before heading south to a 1,052-foot (321 m) summit at Dava, then to Grantown and the River Spey to Kingussie, before another climb to a summit at the Pass of Druimuachdar, at 1,484 feet (452 m) the highest in Britain. The line then descended to Birnam, 15+1⁄2 miles (24.9 km) from Perth and linked to Perth by the Perth & Dunkeld Railway since 1856. Although a similar route had been rejected in 1845 because of the high altitudes and speed gradients, there had been sufficient advance in locomotive design to satisfy the fears of the parliamentary committee, and authority was given in 1861. A 515-foot (157 m) long girder bridge crossed the River Tay near Dalguise and a 477-foot (145 m) viaduct crossed the River Divie near Dunphail. North of Dunkeld was a 350 yards (320 m) long tunnel and with 128 yards (117 m) through the Pass of Killiecrankie. The line was initially single track with passing loops at stations, the IAJR doubling the track for 6+3⁄4 miles (10.9 km) between Inverness and Dalcross in 1864.

Work started in 1861, and the 13 miles from Dunkeld to Pitlochry opened on 1 June 1863. To allow access to the new line from both Keith and Inverness a new triangular station was built at Forres south of the old line, which was retained for goods traffic. The line from this new station to Aviemore opened on 3 August, the complete line opening on 9 September 1863. Initially two through trains a day ran between Perth and Inverness, taking about six hours. These were supplemented by additional mixed slow services from Perth to Blair Atholl and from Inverness to Aviemore. Additional services ran after 1866; only the mail train ran on Sundays.

A 9-mile (14 km) branch from Ballinluig to Aberfeldy was also authorised, and this opened on 3 July 1865. The Inverness & Perth Junction Railway absorbed the Perth & Dunkeld in 1864.

Genesis

The Inverness and Aberdeen Junction and the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway were merged on 1 February 1865, and became known as the Highland Railway after the passing of the Highland Railway Act 1865 (28 & 29 Vict. c. clxviii) on 29 June 1865. The railway owned 242 miles (389 km) of line and operated over the 7+1⁄4 miles (11.7 km) of Scottish North Eastern Railway (SNER) line from Stanley Junction to Perth. Apart from this line and that between Inverness and Dalcross, this was all single track railway. Andrew Dougall, who had been founding General Manager of both railways, became its first General Manager. William Barclay had been locomotive supervisor for both constituent railways, resigned in 1865, and the first Highland Railway locomotive supervisor was William Stroudley.

Sutherland Railway

The Sutherland Railway received permission in 1865 for a 32+3⁄4-mile (52.7 km) extension of the Highland Railway from Bonar Bridge to Brora. The route followed the Kyle of Sutherland inland for 3 miles, before crossing over to the north shore with the five masonry arches and 230 feet (70 m) girder span of Invershin Viaduct. The Highland contributed £15,000, but only 26 miles (42 km) of line were built, the railway opening as far as Golspie on 13 April 1868. Either side of the viaduct across the Kyle are Culrain and Invershin stations, 36 chains (790 yd; 720 m) apart. The Highland provided two services a day north of Tain, with through carriages to Perth on the mail train.

Duke of Sutherland's Railway

The 3rd Duke of Sutherland planned an extension of the line 17 miles (27 km) from Golspie to Helmsdale, passing Dunrobin Castle, his family seat. Work had already started when authority was obtained in 1870, and the section from Dunrobin to about 3⁄4-mile (1.2 km) short of Helmsdale was complete that autumn. The duke purchased a locomotive and some carriages, and the line was opened by Princess Christian on 1 November 1870. Two trains a day ran until 19 June 1871, when the line was connected up with the Sutherland Railway at Golspie and the Highland extended its services to Helmsdale.

Sutherland and Caithness Railway

A railway linking Thurso and Wick had been proposed in the 1860s and had the necessary authority in 1866, but had failed to raise the necessary funds. The Sutherland and Caithness Railway was authorised to take over the route of the Thurso and Wick Railway, and extend the line south to link up with the Duke of Sutherland's Railway at Helmsdale. With the Duke of Sutherland subscribing £60,000 and the Highland Railway £50,000, the railway opened on 28 July 1874. Initially two trains a day covered the 161+1⁄2 miles (259.9 km) from Inverness to Wick in between 7 and 7+1⁄2 hours, by 1885 the fastest trains were taking 6 hours, and in 1914 the Further North Express took 5+1⁄2 hours.

Dingwall and Skye Railway

Only certain routes are practicable in the Highlands due to the terrain, but from Dingwall it was possible to reach Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast, opposite the Isle of Skye. Permission was granted in 1865, but landowners in Strathpeffer opposed the railway and created difficulties buying the land. In 1868, permission was granted for a different route, 2 miles (3.2 km) to the north of the spa town. The terminus was 10 miles (16 km) short to Strome Ferry, because of the cost of building a line around the coast to the Kyle of Lochalsh. The railway opened on 5 August 1870 for goods and passengers were carried from 19 August. Two trains a day were provided, either connecting with trains or providing through carriages at Dingwall. One train a day connected with steamers from Strome Ferry to Portree on Skye, and to Stornoway on Lewis. No Sunday services were provided, possibly because the traffic wasn't sufficient, but also it recorded that on a Sunday in 1883 villagers at Strome Ferry, determined to keep the Sabbath, prevented the loading of a special fish goods train until midnight had passed.

Steamships

The Dingwall and Skye Railway purchased two steamers, Jura and Oscar, to operate the services to Portree and Stornoway. Initially a daily service was provided to Portree, and a weekly service to Stornoway, but the first winter the frequency of the Portree service was reduced and the Stornoway service suspended. Oscar ran aground in November 1870, to be replaced with Carham and a new ship, named Ferret, was purchased to replace Jura. It was found that most of the work could be carried out with Carham, and Ferret was offered for charter. A three-month lease was agreed and paid for, but the ship went missing. It was discovered later in Melbourne, Australia, when offered for sale under an assumed name that the port authorities could not identify in the records. The company withdrew in favour of MacBrayne's running the service in 1880.

Mergers

The Dingwall and Skye Railway was absorbed by the Highland Railway by the Highland and Dingwall and Skye Railways Amalgamation Act 1880 (43 & 44 Vict. c. cxxix), and the Sutherland, Duke of Sutherland's and Sutherland & Caithness Railways were absorbed by the Highland Railway (Northern Lines Amalgamation) Act 1884 (47 & 48 Vict. c. clxxxiv).

Branch lines

In 1881 the GNoSR applied to Parliament to extend the line from Portsoy along the Moray Firth to Buckie, but this was rejected after the Highland opposed. The following year, both the Great North and Highland railways applied to Parliament for permission, the Great North for a line from Portsoy along the coast through Buckie to Elgin, and the Highland for a branch from Keith to Buckie and Cullen. Authority was granted in the Great North of Scotland (Buckie Extension) Railway Act 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. cxxvi) and the Highland Railway Act 1882 (45 & 46 Vict. c. cxxiv), but in the case of the Highland Railway only for a 13+3⁄4-mile (22.1 km) line as far as Portessie, with running rights over the Great North coast line between Buckie and Portsoy and the Great North obtaining reciprocal rights over the Highland railway between Elgin and Forres. The Portessie branch opened on 1 August 1884 and the Highland did not exercise its running rights over the GNoSR, thus preventing the Great North running over its lines west of Elgin.

The Dingwall & Skye had needed to avoid Strathpeffer, and their station on the main line was 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) away. The Highland obtained authority for a 2+1⁄4-mile (3.6 km) branch into the spa town. This opened on 3 June 1885 and the original Strathpeffer station was renamed Achterneed. On 10 October 1892 the Burghead branch was extended 2 miles (3.2 km) along the coast to Hopeman. Fochabers was served by two stations, both inconvenient. The Inverness and Aberdeen Railway had opened a Fochabers station in 1858, but this was 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town. In 1886 the GNoSR opened a station called Fochabers-on-Spey, also about 4 miles (6.4 km) away on their Coast Line. The Highland built a 3-mile (4.8 km) branch from their line to new Fochabers Town station; the line and station opened 1 June 1894.

A branch from Muir of Ord was built to serve rich farmland and Fortrose on the Black Isle. Permission had been granted for the 15+3⁄4 miles (25.3 km) to reach Rosemarkie, and the line to Fortrose was opened on 1 February 1894, and work did not start on the planned extension. Although it was possible for a ferry to Skye to pick up passengers at Strome Ferry, a port at the original terminus at Kyle of Lochalsh would have been more convenient. However, in 1889 the West Highland Railway was authorised by the West Highland Railway Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict. c. cxxxiv) to build a line from Craigendoran to Fort William, which would have given a more direct route south. Permission for the extension to Kyle of Lochalsh was granted by the Highland Railway Act 1893 (56 & 57 Vict. c. xci), and after heavy engineering works the extension to Kyle of Lochalsh opened on 2 November 1897. The West Highland opened a competitive port at Mallaig in 1901, but the Highland kept the mail contract and the traffic between Skye and mainland Scotland. Fort George station, between Inverness and Nairn, was 3+1⁄2 miles (5.6 km) away from the military post it served. A 1+1⁄2-mile (2.4 km) branch to the village Ardersier was opened on 1 July 1899, and the junction station renamed Gollanfield Junction and the new terminus became Fort George station.

East to Keith and Aberdeen

The Great North and Highland had agreed in 1865 that traffic between the two railways would be exchanged at Keith, but in 1886 the GNoSR had two lines to Elgin that, although longer than the Highland's direct line, served more populous areas. The coastal route between Keith and Elgin was 87+1⁄2 miles (140.8 km) long but had easier gradients than the 80+3⁄4 miles (130.0 km) via Craigellachie. The Highland's main line south from Inverness was via Forres and the GNoSR felt that the Highland treated the line to Elgin as a branch. In 1883 a shorter route south from Inverness was prompted by an independent company and the bill was defeated in Parliament only after the Highland promised to request authority for a shorter line. The following year, as well as the Highland's more direct line from Aviemore, the Great North proposed a branch from its Speyside Section to Inverness. The Highland Railway route was chosen, but the Great North won a concession that goods and passengers that could be exchanged at any junction with through bookings and with services conveniently arranged.

In 1885 the Great North re-timed the 10:10 am Aberdeen service to reach Keith at 11:50 am with through carriages that reached Elgin via Craigellachie at 1 pm. This connected with a Highland service at both Keith and Elgin, until the Highland re-timed the train and broke the connection at Elgin. The Great North applied to the Board of Trade for an order for two connections a day at Elgin. This was refused, but in 1886 the Great North and Highland railways came to an agreement to pool receipts from the stations between Grange and Elgin and refer any disputes to an arbiter. The midday Highland train was re-timed to connect with the Great North at Keith and Elgin, and a service connected at Elgin with an Aberdeen train that had divided en route to travel via the coast and Craigellachie.