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6A SUTHERLAND RAILWAY

The railway was authorised in 1865 and merged into the Highland Railway in 1884. It opened from Bonar Bridge to Golspie in 1868. It remains open throughout although a number of intermediate stations closed to passengers and/or goods in the 1960s.

Sutherland Railway

Authorised: 29/6/1865

Merged into Highland Railway: 1884

Opened

Bonar Bridge - Golspie 18/4/1868

Stations

264 ARDGAY*1

265 CULRAIN (G 18/5/64)

266 INVERSHIN (G 27/1/64)

267 LAIRG*2

268 ROGART*3 (G 18/5/64)

269 THE MOUND (P 13/6/60 G/CC 27/1/64)

270 GOLSPIE

*1: Coal depot south of station

*2: BP oil depot south of station

*3: P 13/6/60, RO as unstaffed station 6/3/61, referred to as Rogart Halt is some timetables

Station openings

Most stations opened with the line on 18/4/1868, but Culrain was opened on 1/7/1870.

Closures

The Mound closed to passengers in 1960, as did Rogart, although the latter was reopened as an unstaffed halt the following year. Goods services were withdrawn from most stations in 1964. The remaining stations remain open, with goods facilities at Ardgay, Lairg and Golspie.

6B DUKE OF SUTHERLAND'S RAILWAY

The railway was authorised in 1870 and merged into the Highland Railway in 1884. It opened from Dunrobin to a temporary terminus outside Helmsdale in 1870 and to Helmsdale itself the following year. It remains open throughout although a number of intermediate stations closed to passengers and/or goods in the 1960s.

Duke of Sutherland's Railway

Authorised: 20/6/1870
Merged into Highland Railway: 1884

Opened
Dunrobin - Gartymore (West Helmsdale) 10/1870*1
Golspie - Helmsdale 19/6/1871*2

*1: Section of line between two temporary termini. Dunrobin later became a private platform. The station at Helmsdale was replaced by a permanent one on the extension of the line.

*2: O 16/5/1871 for contractor's traffic. Line worked by the Highland Railway.

Stations

271 DUNROBIN*1 (G 2/11/64 P 29/11/65)

272 BRORA

273 LOTH*2 (P 13/6/60 G/CC 18/5/64)

274 WEST HELMSDALE*3 (P/CC 19/6/1871)

275 HELMSDALE

*1: Temporary terminus.Later became private platform serving Dunrobin castle. Reopened as private station.

*2: Unstaffed from 4/7/49

*3: Replaced by new station at Helmsdale on extension of line.

Station openings

Temporary stations at Dunrobin and West Helmsdale opened on 10/1870, to be replaced by stations at Brora and Helmsdale on 19/6/1871. Loth opened 7/1871.

Closures

West Helmsdale shut in 1871 when the line was extended. Loth closed to passengers in 1960 and to goods in May 1964. Dunrobin closed to goods in November of that year and to passengers in November 1965. Brora and Helmsdale remain open.

6C SUTHERLAND & CAITHNESS RAILWAY

The Sutherland & Caithness Railway was authorised in 1871 and merged into the Highland Railway in 1884. It opened from Helmsdale to Wick and Thurso in 1874 and remains open throughout, although a number of intermediate stations closed to passengers and/or goods in the 1960s.

Sutherland & Caithness Railway

Authorised: 13/7/1871
Merged into Highland Railway: 1884

Opened
Helmsdale - Wick and Georgemas Junction - Thurso 28/7/1874

Stations
276 SALZCRAGGIE PLATFORM*1 (P/CC 29/11/65)
277 KILDONAN*2 (G 2/11/64)
278 BORROBOL PLATFORM*3 (G 15/6/64 P/CC 29/11/65)
279 KINBRACE*4 (G 29/3/65)
280 FORSINARD (G 15/6/64)
281 ALTNABREAC (G 15/8/66)
282 SCOTSCALDER (G 27/1/64)
283 HALKIRK (P 13/6/60 G/CC 29/3/65)
284 GEORGEMAS JUNCTION
285 BOWER (P 13/6/60 G/CC 18/5/64)
286 WATTEN (P 13/6/60 G/CC 15/6/64)
287 BILBSTER (P/G/CC 13/6/60)
288 WICK*5

289 HOY*6 (P/CC 29/11/65) no goods
290 THURSO*7

*1: RN SALZCRAGGIE HALT 24/5/07. Possibly later known simply as Salzcraggie
*2: Unstaffed from 29/1/68
*3: RN BORROBOL 10/9/62
*4: Unstaffed from 26/2/68
*5: Goods yard beside station
*6: Unstaffed from 1/1/35
*7: Goods yard beside station

Station openings

All stations opened with the line on 28/7/1874 except Borrobol Platform which opened in 2/1880.

Closures
Halkirk, Bower, Watten and Bilbster all closed to passengers on 13/6/60, when Bilbster closed completely.
Most of the stations on the line closed to goods in 1964-5: Scotscalder in January 1964, followed by Bower, which closed completely in May, Borrobol, Forsinard and Watten in June (when Watten closed completely) and Kildonan in November.
Kinbrace and Halkirk closed to goods in March 1965, when Halkirk closed completely.
In November 1965 Salzcraggie Halt, Borrobol and Hoy closed completely when they lost their passenger services, and Altnabreac closed to goods in August 1966.

6D LYBSTER BRANCH

The Highland Railway's Lybster branch was authorised in 1899 and opened from Wick to Lybster in 1903. It closed throughout in 1944.

HIGHLAND RAILWAY - WICK & LYBSTER LIGHT RAILWAY

Authorised: 27/11/1899

Opened
Wick - Lybster 1/7/03

Closed
Wick - Lybster P/G/CC 1/4/44

Stations
291 THRUMSTER (P/G/CC 1/4/44)
292 ULBSTER (P/G/CC 1/4/44)
293 MID CLYTH (P/G/CC 1/4/44)
294 OCCUMSTER (P/G/CC 1/4/44)
295 LYBSTER (P/G/CC 1/4/44)

Station openings
All stations opened on 1/7/03 with the line.

Closures
All stations closed to passengers and goods on 1/4/44 with the line.

6E DORNOCH BRANCH

The Dornoch branch of the Highland Railway was authorised in 1898 and opened in 1902 from The Mound. It closed throughout to passengers and goods in 1960.

HIGHLAND RAILWAY - Dornoch Light Railway

Authorised: 13/8/1898

Opened
The Mound - Dornoch 2/6/02

Closed
The Mound - Dornoch P/G/CC 13/6/60

Stations
296 CAMBUSAVIE HALT* (P/CC 13/6/60)
297 SKELBO (P/G/CC 13/6/60)
298 EMBO (P/G/CC 13/6/60)
299 DORNOCH (P/G/CC 13/6/60)

*: May also have been known as Cambusavie Platform

Station openings
All stations opened with the line on 2/6/02

Closures
All stations closed with the line on 13/6/60. Only Cambusavie had no goods facilities.

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