Glencarron Platform railway station

Disused railway station in Highland, Scotland

57°30′21″N 5°14′06″W / 57.5059°N 5.2349°W / 57.5059; -5.2349Grid referenceNH063508Platforms1Other informationStatusDisusedHistoryOriginal companyDingwall and Skye RailwayPre-groupingHighland RailwayPost-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish RailwayKey dates1873opened1964closed

Glencarron Platform was an intermediate halt on the Dingwall and Skye Railway between Achnashellach and Achnasheen. It was 36 miles 19 chains (58.3 km) from Dingwall, and had a single platform.[1]

It was built in 1873 for the benefit of a local landowner to serve his hunting lodge, in exchange for which the landowner authorised the railway to cross his land and bought a sizeable shareholding in the cash-strapped concern. Delightfully located in the isolated Glen Carron, the platform eventually began to be used by regular members of the travelling public alighting to explore the landscape or rejoining the train after walks. It was officially made a public station in 1887.[2] However, this traffic was not very substantial and along with two other Kyle line stations – Achterneed and Duncraig – it was closed in 1964 as part of the Beeching Report.

Occasionally trains continued to call, wholly unofficially, at both Glencarron and Duncraig. In 1974 Duncraig was restored to the public timetable. Glencarron was not accorded this honour and remained an unofficial stopping place, on prior request to the traincrew, into the 1990s. As an unofficial stopping place it received no maintenance and steadily decayed.

Preceding station Historical railways Following station
Achnasheen
Line and Station open
  Highland Railway
Dingwall and Skye Railway
  Achnashellach
Line and Station open

References

  1. ^ Brailsford 2017, map 22E.
  2. ^ Private and Untimetabled Railway Stations by G.Croughton page 79
  • Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-9-8.
  • McConnel, D. (1997). Rails to Kyle of Lochalsh. The Oakwood Press.
  • Thomas, J. (1991). The Skye Railway. revised by Farrington, J. David St John Thomas Publisher.