This is a one platform station on the Far North Line with a permanent way siding to the south on the east side of the line, the former goods yard.
The local population was very low when the station opened. It was largely developed as a passing place equipped with a water tank for locomotives. The Lochdhu Lodge was built a mile to the south in 1895.
This was a two platform station with a passing loop. The main station building was on the southbound platform with a waiting room on the northbound platform.
In addition to the goods siding there were gravel sidings to the south, on the west side, and a short siding at the north end on the west side. Both were approached from the north and the goods yard from the south.
There were two signal boxes, both opened in 1894. The south box was on the west side of the south end of the loop with the gravel sidings to the west. The north box was on the east side at the north end of the loop. Due to possible drifting snow in Winter, this being a very exposed location on high moorland, this was a location where signal wires were mounted on poles.
The northbound loop was removed in 1966 and the boxes closed. The northbound platform remains but is out of use, although it still features the base of the water tank at the north end, west side. There were water columns on both platforms.
A station building/stationmaster's house exists on the southbound platform, in use as a house. A felled water column lies at the south end and there are remains of tablet catchers. There is a short permanent way siding.
County March Summit [Sutherland and Caithness] is to the south west on the line south. Going south west from the station the land grows more remote with few roads, even dirt roads. The line crosses moorland, the Flow Country, to reach Forsinard.
Lochdhu Lodge is to the south east of the station. For a time this was a (somewhat remote) hotel but has reverted to private ownership. Building materials for the lodge were transported by rail.
Nearby stations Forsinard Scotscalder Halkirk Kinbrace Georgemas Junction Hoy Borrobol Bower Thurso Kildonan Lybster Parkside Halt Watten Salzcraggie Occumster | Claiseag Railway Cottage County March Summit [Sutherland and Caithness] Limeside Railway Cottage Balloch Railway Cottage Olgrinbeg Peat Powerstation (here?) River Thurso Viaduct [Halkirk] Spittal Mains Quarry Georgemas Snowblower Georgemas Trolley Shed Kinbrace Timber Loading Dounreay Power Station Old Kinbrace Railway Cottage Tourist/other Lochdhu Lodge Loch an Ruathair Cnoc Freiceadain Long Cairns |
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line. |
28/07/1874 | Sutherland and Caithness Railway Line opened from Helmsdale (Duke of Sutherland's Railway) to Wick with stations at Salzcraggie (Private), Kildonan, Kinbrace, Forsinard, Altnabreac, Scotscalder, Halkirk, Georgemas Junction, Hoy, Thurso, Bower, Watten, Bilbster and Wick. |
Highland Survivor |