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Description

This junction is east of Inverness station and is where the routes to Aberdeen and Perth divide. The Perth route initially travels north before swinging over the Aberdeen route to gain some height before turning south.

The junction opened in 1898. The first signal box, opened with the junction, was on the north side of line just east of the former Welsh's Bridge, a bridge over the railway which was removed with the expansion of the lines. Prior to the opening of the direct line to the south the ticket platform (Welsh's Bridge Platform) for trains approaching Inverness from the east was located here. It was on the south side of the line and east of the bridge.

To the east of the box were two double track lines. The northern line was the line to the south which swung over the southern line, the railway to the east, a little east of Raigmore Level Crossing.

To the west were also two double track lines running west to Welsh's Bridge Junction. Beyond that box the northern line lead to the station bypass and Needlefield Carriage Sidings, and the southern pair also ran to the station bypass, Lochgorm Works, Inverness station, Inverness Goods and Inverness Shed. North of the running lines was a very large loading bank for the use of the civil engineer, which remains today.

In front of the box was a connection from the northern pair of lines to the southern, to allow a train leaving Inverness station to take the new direct line to the south.

The whole alignment from the west via the north side of Welsh's Bridge Junction box to Millburn Junction (and on to the south) was new and this required the opening up which led to the removal of Welsh's Bridge itself.

Generally passenger trains from Aviemore would pass the station and run on to Rose Street Junction where they would reverse into Inverness station.

The layout was altered in 1943 and a new box opened. The new large box was located further east and was between southbound and eastbound lines on the west side of the Mill Burn. The original box was moved to Slochd Summit where it replaced the older boxes there.

In addition there was, to the east of the box, a new wartime connection (Millburn Wartime Connection also known as the 'Burma Road') from Raigmore Level Crossing, on the eastbound line, to the southbound line. The purpose of this was to allow trains from the east to climb to join the south line and then enter Millburn Yard - a new marshalling yard of looped sidings approached from the east which were built on the north side of the southbound line.

The line east to Dalcross was singled in 1967.

The line west via Welsh's Bridge Junction to 'Locomotive' box was singled in 1986, in preparation for the resignalling and replacement of the boxes with Inverness Signalling Centre in 1987. Around the same time the Millburn Wartime Connection was taken out.

The line west via Welsh's Bridge Junction to Rose Street Junction was singled in 1987.

Millburn Junction signal box closed in 1987, replaced by the new Inverness Signalling Centre.

A ticket platform was located here.

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