Kingussie: Kingussie station seems little changed over the years. The portable steps are still on Platform 2 and the station buildings well kept. Perhaps the biggest visible difference is the number of trees around the station. See image 49139 from 1980.
Mark Bartlett 19/07/2016

Kingussie

Location type

Station

Name and dates

Kingussie (1863-)

Station code: KIN National Rail ScotRail
Where: Highland, Scotland
Opened on the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway.
Open on the Highland Main Line.

Description

This is a two platform station with a passing loop on a single track line. The station has a large fine station building on the northbound platform with large glazed platform canopy. There is a siding on the east side, approached from the south. A lattice bridge links the platforms. The station is at 745 ft above sea level.

A station cottage remains just to the north of the station on the west side of the line and on the east side is the signal box ('B' listed, dating from around 1880 and extended at its south end in a rather ungainly fashion), both just south of the level crossing.

The station building is not the original, being replaced in 1891, completed 1894. The building has an unusual form - a long building alongside the platform with a wing projecting at the mid point joined to a station house or office (the wing is an addition). Architect William Roberts. It was built behind the timber original which was then demolished and a covered area erected on its site, with fine end screens (this has been cut back and the end screens replaced around 1970). The building contained a refreshment rooms and, before restaurant cars were introduced, food baskets were prepared for passengers. There was a further refreshment room in the large timber building on the southbound platform.

There is a pleasant waiting room and ticket office in the northern part of the building. The southern part is in use as council offices.

A water column was provided on both platforms.

The siding on the east side is the sole remainder of Kingussie Shed. The goods shed was on the west side, south end of the station with loading banks and a shed to the west, all approached from the south. From the yard a goods line ran from the south end of the station north to the Speyside Distillery [1st], since closed.

Opposite the goods yard turn out was the south box, opened probably 1885. The turn out for the engine shed was just to the north.

The south box closed in 1928 when taken over by the north box.

Kingussie goods yard closed in 1965 and was removed. The former engine shed siding was retained as a permanent way siding.

The line is supported and promoted by the Highland Main Line Community Partnership .

Local

Ruthven Barracks is to the east of Kingussie.

Although there is no railway connection to the West Highland Railway, the A86 runs west past Laggan to run west to Tulloch, Roy Bridge and Spean Bridge.

At Laggan the A889 strikes south to Dalwhinnie and a minor road heads north west, General Wade's Road via Melgarve and the Corrieyairack Pass to Fort Augustus.

Tags

Station

External links

Canmore site record
NLS Collection OS map of 1892-1914
NLS Collection OS map of 1944-67
NLS Map
NLS Map

Facilities

Listing: B




Nearby stations
Newtonmore
Kincraig
Aviemore
Aviemore Speyside
Dalwhinnie
Base Station
Shieling Station
Ptarmigan Station
Carrbridge
Boat of Garten
Tomatin
Dalnaspidal
Nethy Bridge
Broomhill
Moy
Kingussie Shed
Kingussie Turntable
Newtonmore Turntable
Spey Viaduct [Newtonmore]
Ralia Ballast Siding
Etteridge Crossing
Tourist/other
Speyside Distillery [1st]
Ruthven Barracks
Speyside Distillery
Balavil Signal Box
Balavil House
Highland Folk Museum
Loch Insh
A^Chailleach
Carn Sgulain
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.


Where go the Boats?


Robert Louis Stevenson visited Kingussie in 1882, staying in a house now called 'Grianach'. This stay may have inspired his Where go the boats? poem published in 'A Child's Garden of Verses' (originally 'Penny Whistles') in 1885.

Internet Archive - A Child's Garden of Verses - Where go the Boats?

Perhaps the dark brown river is the Gynack Burn or River Spey.


Chronology Dates

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.
  /  /1889Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Kingussie Shed opened, for southbound trains and local trains at Kingussie.
  /  /1894Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Kingussie main station building replaced.
  /  /1896Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Branch from Kingussie goods yard to Speyside Distillery opened.
  /  /1922Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Branch from Kingussie goods yard to Speyside Distillery closed.
  /  /1926Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Kingussie Shed at Kingussie closed around this date.
  /  /1965Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Kingussie closed to goods.
08/01/2005Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Line closed between Kingussie and Aviemore due to rising water in the Gynack Burn and at Balavil Bridge. Also closed at Dalguise due to the River Tay rising.

News items

02/11/2023Delays expected at Kingussie Railway Station with line repairs awaited [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
14/09/2023Piece of tourism history in Kingussie is being auctioned [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
04/09/2023New footbridge at Kingussie railway station is approved [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
25/08/2023Could Nairn's historic railway bridge be moved to a new home? [Press and Journal]
22/08/2023Signalling problem on Inverness to Aviemore line leads to delays [Press and Journal]
15/08/2023Train services resume after freight train broke down between Aviemore and Kingussie [Press and Journal]
10/07/2023Kingussie station bridge plans submitted [Network Rail]
11/05/2023Campaign against bridge too far in Kingussie [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
16/01/2023Broken rail at Kingussie disrupts passengers for the day [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]
24/02/2022Cuts to operating hours at rail ticket offices in Aviemore and Kingussie on cards [Strathspey and Badenoch Herald]

Books


Bradshaw's Guides Scotlands Railways West Coast - Carlisle to Inverness: 5

Highland Railway Album: No. 1

Highland Railway Album: No. 2

Highland Railway Carriages and Wagons

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

The Highland Railway

The Highland Railway : The History of the Railways of the Scottish Highlands - Vol 2