Inverness: A full house of diesel multiple units, of Classes 158 and 170, seen from the concourse at Inverness at 1700hrs on 26th September 2018.

Crinan Dunbar 26/09/2018

Inverness

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Inverness (1855-)

Station code: INV National Rail ScotRail
Where: Highland, Scotland
Opened on the Inverness and Ross-shire Railway.
Opened on the Inverness and Nairn Railway.
Open on the Far North Line.
Open on the Kyle Line.
Open on the Aberdeen to Inverness.
Open on the Highland Main Line.

Description

This is a seven platform terminus for services to and from locations to the south such as Glasgow Queen Street High Level, Edinburgh Waverley and London, and locations north and west such as Kyle of Lochalsh, Thurso and Wick.

The original fine frontage onto Union Street, and a small station square, was replaced in 1968 with a plain modern structure. The Highland Railway's offices (1873-75, architects Matthews and Lawrie) were on the north side of the square and Station Hotel (originally 1855, architect Joseph Mitchell) on the south side. In the square is a memorial statue to those soldiers of the Queen's Own Highlanders killed in the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882 (erected 1893).

The station is essentially two terminii alongside each other, one for locations to the south and east (platforms 1 to 5) and the other for locations north (platforms 5 to 7). Lines curve out to the east and to the north west connected by a non passenger line to form a triangle. A short end-on siding at the end of platforms 1 and 2 served a car loading dock added in 1905.

The buffer ends of the platforms are covered by glazed trainsheds and there is a concourse which had direct access to the hotel and Highland Railway company offices.

The central canopy covering platforms 3 and 4 is the original trainshed of the Inverness and Nairn Railway of 1855. That covering 5 and 6 was for the [[Inverness and Ross-shire Railway in 1861 (this shed is to the west of the original). The two trainsheds covering platforms 1 and 2 were added in 1878 (more than doubling the covered area - these trainsheds are slightly longer). Platform 7 terminates before entering a shed. Platforms 1 and 2 were extended in timber in 1905.

Departure from the main line platforms for Perth and Aberdeen, platforms 1-5, was controlled by 'Locomotive' signal box, dating from 1885. This box was at the east end of platform 2 on the north side and directly to the east of the south wall of the Lochgorm Works. Despite the name it did not control the works or Inverness Shed - the entry into these was controlled from Welsh's Bridge Junction Signal Box, to the east. 'Locomotive' was replaced around 1896/97 in anticipation of the opening of the Direct Line via Slochd Summit and the resignalling which also replaced Welsh's Bridge. The box closed in 1987, replaced by the Inverness Signalling Centre.

There was also an 'Inverness Station' signal box, this was located in the 'V' of the junction at platform 5. It opened in 1898 and closed in 1917 when replaced with a ground frame. The cabin itself was relocated to Murthly to become its south box. A (then) new small cabin was erected over the ground frame, since removed.

An interesting practice, to aid transfers, had trains from the north reverse (on their arrival at Inverness) into the southbound platforms - and vice versa as trains from the south reversed into the northbound platforms. This practice ended in 1989.

Nearby the station are:
- Inverness Signalling Centre, in the 'V' of the junction at platform 5
- Lochgorm Works, now the locomotive depot, enclosed by the station lines and its bypass
- Inverness Goods, to the south of the station and approached from the east, now closed and the site cleared
- Inverness Shed, to the south of the station approach from the east and now closed and cleared
- Rose Street Junction, the junction between the northbound station platforms and station bypass
- Needlefield Carriage Sidings, to the north of the station bypass, approached from the east, the original carriage sheds now demolished
- Millburn Yard, marshalling sidings and the present goods sidings laid out north of the carriage sidings, approached from the east
- Inverness Harbour, to the north west of the station and near the River Ness quayside
- Welsh's Bridge Junction, junction between the eastern station approach, southern station approach, Inverness station, Lochgorm Works, bypass line, Needlefield Carriage Sidings - Ness Viaduct, a bridge over the River Ness carrying the Far North Line - Millburn Junction, a wartime built connection, now removed, on the Aberdeen line to give access to Millburn Yard
Inverness was at the centre of the Highland Railway, a network of largely single track line. Double track was to extend out from Inverness as far west as Clunes, east to Dalcross and south to Daviot.

Local

The Station Hotel was Highland Railway owned and ultimately became a British Transport Hotel, who sold it in 1983.

Royal Highland Hotel

Tags

Station terminus
01/12/2021




Nearby stations
Inverness Innes Street Ticket Platform
Inverness Harbour [Station]
Ness Islands Railway
Clachnaharry
Bunchrew
Allanfearn
Munlochy
Lentran
Castle Stuart Platform
Allangrange
Daviot
Culloden Moor
Redcastle
Avoch
Dalcross
Inverness Goods
Inverness Signalling Centre
Inverness MPD
Rose Street Junction
Inverness Shed
Needlefield Carriage Sidings
Needlefield Goods
Inverness Ammunition Depot
Inverness Harbour
Welsh^s Bridge Platform
Ness Viaduct
Tourist/other
Station Hotel [Inverness]
Inverness Bus Station
Inverness Castle
Inverness Cathedral
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


On display


Within the station the former station bell (see also Pitlochry) and Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway plaques from the Boat o' Brig Viaduct are on display in the concourse.


Chronology Dates

24/07/1854Inverness and Nairn Railway
Line authorised, 15 miles from Inverness to Nairn and a 1/2 mile branch to Inverness Harbour. Contractor : Thomas Brassey & James Falshaw.
05/11/1855Inverness and Nairn Railway
Line opened with stations at Inverness, Culloden [1st], Dalcross, Fort George [1st], Cawdor and Nairn.
03/07/1860Inverness and Ross-shire Railway
Inverness and Ross-shire Railway Act received; line to be built from Inverness to Invergordon. Engineer : Joseph Mitchell. Contractor (Inverness to Dingwall) : Meakin.
11/06/1862Inverness and Ross-shire Railway
Inverness to Dingwall opened. (Connection made from Inverness Harbour line to new platforms in Inverness station, new railway makes connection with the harbour line. The Harbour line is becomes known as the Rose Street Curve). Stations opened at Bunchrew, Lentran, Beauly, Muir of Ord, Conon and Dingwall.
09/09/1863Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Line opened from Pitlochry to Aviemore, thus throughout from Inverness to Perth. Additional stations opened at Blair Athole (original spelling), Struan, Dalwhinnie, Newtonmore, Kingussie and Boat of Insh.
  /11/1882Glasgow and North Western Railway
Glasgow and North Western Railway proposed, the Bill presented to Parliament to seek approval. The route was to have been a 167 mile long railway from Glasgow to Inverness via Fort William. Supported by the North British Railway and opposed by the Highland Railway, Caledonian Railway (part owners of the Callander and Oban Railway), Caledonian Canal, David MacBrayne and some landowners. The Bill was rejected in 1883. It was not built (a less ambitious variation of it, the West Highland Railway with an Act in 1889, did open).
28/07/1884Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway (Highland Railway)
Act passed. This was partly in response to the proposed incursion of the North British Railway's Glasgow and North Western Railway from Glasgow to Inverness via Loch Lomond, Crianlarich, Glencoe, Fort William and the Great Glen.
  /  /1897Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway
Bill proposing extension from Fort Augustus to Inverness is rejected in the House of Commons.
  /  /1897West Highland Railway North British Railway
The proposed Bill by the West Highland Railway and North British Railway for extension of the West Highland to Inverness is rejected by the Commons. (The Highland Railway's route via Carrbridge was partly open and would be completed in 1989.)
01/07/1897Highland Railway
Bill for railway from Inverness to Fort Augustus is rejected in the House of Lords (was passed by the Commons).
01/11/1898Inverness and Aviemore Direct Railway (Highland Railway)
Daviot to Inverness, Millburn Junction, opened, completing the shortcut line from Aviemore to Inverness.
22/07/1903Invergarry and Fort Augustus Railway Highland Railway
Line opened by Eliza Stewart Ellice of Invergarry House. The service was operated by the Highland Railway who were keen to keep the North British Railway away from Inverness. Connecting David Hutcheson and Co steamers operating along the Caledonian Canal connecting the line to Inverness via Loch Ness and the canal. Stations opened at Gairlochy, Invergarry, Aberchalder, Fort Augustus and Fort Augustus Pier. The Lovat Arms and Station Hotel was rebuilt and reopened in connection with new line.
  /05/1984British Railways
InterCity HST 125 services introduced to Inverness.
07/02/1989Inverness and Ross-shire Railway
Ness Viaduct, Inverness, collapses, separating the Thurso, Wick and Kyle of Lochalsh lines from the rest of the network. Dingwall becomes the southern terminus, Muir of Ord closes (although served by a minibus) and becomes a train maintenance depot. Buses operate between Inverness and Dingwall while a new bridge is built. Oil traffic to Lairg is suspended (it does not restart until 2001).
  /05/1991British Railways
British Rail withdraws West Coast Main Line services from London Euston to Inverness ('The Clansman').
  /04/1996Great North Eastern Railway
Begins running the East Coast Main Line franchise using Class 91s and Mk4 trails to Glasgow and Leeds, and HSTs to Hull, Aberdeen and Inverness. (And also the Class 89 for Leeds and Bradford.)
21/01/1998Burghead Branch (Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway)
12 week contract to carry grain from Andover to Roseisle Maltings via Mossend Marshalling Yard and Inverness begins.
28/03/1999English, Welsh and Scottish Railway Safeway
English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) starts a nightly Mossend Marshalling Yard to Inverness train for Safeway. This was the first regular supermarket traffic, the first EWS refrigerated flow and first internal Scottish traffic (which comes complete with backloads).
09/01/2003Safeway Morrisons
Safeway purchased by Morrisons, leading to the withdrawal of the container trains from Mossend Marshalling Yard to Inverness and Georgemas Junction.
  /03/2004Edinburgh Airport Rail Link
Proposed scheme would have a station under Edinburgh Airport served by a link off the Forth Bridge Connecting Lines (North British Railway) and the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway and the Forth Bridge lines. The layout would be southern approaches (both approached from the east) from South Gyle and Gogar combining and passing under Edinburgh Airport before dividing with a western link to Humbie Signal Box and northern link to Dalmeny South Junction. This layout would allow trains from Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Queen Street High Level to serve the station and the line to the north from Edinburgh to Fife, Aberdeen and Inverness over the Forth Bridge. The estimated cost was £500M.
04/01/2008Scottish Central Railway
DRS 37515, travelling light engine from Grangemouth to Inverness for snow clearance work, is damaged after hitting a potatoes carrying lorry stuck in ice and snow on Whitemoss Level Crossing.
26/10/2009DRS Morrisons
DRS hauled container service begins between Coatbridge Freightliner Terminal and Inverness, serving Morrisons.

News items

28/12/2023All Far North Line and Highland train services cancelled today during mass Network Rail track safety checks [John O Groat Journal]
28/12/20234 Highland train services back up and running after storm damage [Inverness Courier]
27/12/2023Storm Gerrit: ScotRail services paused for early morning inspections [Grampian Online]
26/12/2023No trains on Kyle line until January 4 following Christmas flooding, passengers warned [Inverness Courier]
23/12/2023Train line near Inverness reopens following landslip [Inverness Courier]
22/12/2023ScotRail secure rail replacement buses with services between Inverness and Wick still suspended [Inverness Courier]
21/12/20237 ScotRail services between Inverness and Glasgow cancelled as 80 mph Storm Pia winds strike [Inverness Courier]
19/12/2023Train cancelled after lorry hit railway bridge in Inverness [Inverness Courier]
09/12/2023Safety first as Croy pupils create posters for Inverness Airport train station [Inverness Courier]
25/11/2023Update: Travel resumes on Inverness to Wick railway after crash causes closure of the line [Ross-shire Journal]

Books


Highland Railway (Railway History)

Highland Railway (The David & Charles series)

Highland Railway Album

Highland Railway: People and Places - From the Inverness and Nairn Railway to Scotrail

Highland Survivor

History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands: Highland Railway