Location type

Station

Names and dates

Strome Ferry (1870-1963)
Stromeferry (1963-)

Station code: STF National Rail ScotRail
Where: Highland, Scotland
Opened on the Kyle of Lochalsh Extension (Highland Railway).
Opened on the Dingwall and Skye Railway.
Open on the Kyle Line.

Description

This is a single platform station located in the small village of Stromeferry with some parking nearby. It opened in 1870 and was the terminus of the railway from Dingwall near Inverness until extension west to Kyle of Lochalsh in 1897.

Terminus

This was a steamer pier and the terminus of the line until extension west and south to Kyle of Lochalsh. The original intention had been to continue further west to Kyle of Lochalsh but, short of money, the Dingwall and Skye Railway built this terminus.

Due to the financial constraints firstly Attadale (further east but not unsuitable for a ferry pier - despite grand plans being drawn up) and then Strome Ferry were chosen.

The choice of location for the terminus at an underpopulated remote lochside location may seem odd. However there was relatively deep water for steamers which operated to Skye and beyond, this was located on the main West Coast roadway and it was already established as a ferry location due to the West Coast road's ferry over Loch Carron. The road east from Strome (north bank) through Achnasheen had only been completed in 1819.

The station had a single platform on the north side which was covered by a timber trainshed. Rails ran via a tight curve to a goods shed on the north side of the trainshed and continued onto the pier for goods exchange and fish traffic. There was a goods yard with loading banks on the south side of the station. East of the station was the two road Strome Ferry Shed on the south side of the line, approached from the west. There was a signal box from the start which was located between the railway and the shed approach.

The steamer pier was just to the east of the existing ferry slip.

Steamers

Prior to the opening of the line there was a well established steamers service up the west coast from Glasgow operated by David Hutcheson & Co. The company was not prepared to divert its steamers via the new pier and the Dingwall and Skye Railway was obliged to operate its own steamers. The company purchased the SS Oscar (possibly of 1850) and PS Jura (of 1857).

From the pier there were daily sailings by SS Oscar to Portree via Kyleakin and Broadford, the outward trip being in the afternoons and return trip being in the mornings.

PS Jura steamed outward to Stornoway on a Saturday (returning Monday) and Tuesday (returning Thursday).

Unfortunately SS Oscar was stranded off Applecross in late 1870. Although salvaged later a replacement was needed. PS Carham (of 1864) was purchased from the NBR in 1871. The PS Jura was sold in late 1871. Later PS Ferret was also purchased.

In 1877 the Highland Railway took over the steamer operation. When the Highland withdrew the Stornoway fish boat the up and coming Callander and Oban Railway was to take much of the traffic, large due to its competitive rates.

The steamers were withdrawn in 1880. The service taken over by David MacBrayne, successor to Hutcheson. Late in 1880 the Dingwall and Skye Railway was bought by the Highland Railway.

To protect steamers approaching the pier from submerged rocks there were lights and beacons close to Plockton, particularly the Cat Islands Lighthouse.

The pier was extended in 1880. The pier had been 'L' shaped and was converted into a 'T' shape.

The running of a Sunday fish train, receiving fish from Stornoway, was to give rise to 'riots' at the pier in 1883, this operation being run on the Sabbath.

The station's trainshed burned down in 1891. This fire also destroyed a train of fourteen carriages and luggage vans.

Extension to Kyle of Lochalsh

In the 1890s, with the Government's financial assistance, the railway was continued west and south to Kyle of Lochalsh.

At Strome Ferry the signal box was replaced in 1893. A replacement trainshed, which could be passed through, was built. A second platform for westbound trains was added to the south of the eastbound, offset to the west to be outwith the trainshed. The existing platform was extended west. The road to the pier was carried over the line by a large skew girder bridge and the west end of the station.

A new signal box, 'Strome Ferry West', opened with the extension at the west end in 1897. The new box was at the west end of the eastbound platform outwith the trainshed. The existing 1893 box became 'Strome Ferry East'.

A water column was provided in the goods yard. Water tanks were located by the former Strome Ferry Shed.

The pier was demolished in 1937.

The overall roof was removed in 1941 (possibly reused for goods sheds at Oldbury and Sowerby Bridge). A small portion of the building which had been outside the shed was retained, a little odd looking without the trainshed.

The signal boxes closed in 1966 and the west end of the westbound loop line was taken out, the line being retained as a siding. The former eastbound platform remained in use, more useful as it adjoined the nearby houses. At the same time the goods yard sidings were lifted.

Oil rig construction traffic

One of the conditions of the establishment of the Howard Doris Loch Kishorn Fabrication Yard, where oil rigs were to be built, was that materials were to be brought in by sea. The Ninian Central Platform was assembled at this site.

This development was planned for some time and the decision to bring in materials by rail and sea was responsible for reversing the planned closure of the Kyle line in 1973.

In 1974/5 land was reclaimed at Stromeferry with space for four cement silos, five sidings (three looped alongside silos, two by pier) and a new pier with cranes. Materials were taken from the pier to the fabrication site.

Briefly there was considerable traffic: including cement from the Dunbar Cement Works (Oxwellmains), fly ash from Alloa Marshalling Yard.

There were two Hudswell Clark 0-6-0DM shunters.

The railway depot closed in 1977. The fabrication yard remained open until 1987, mothballed latterly.

The sidings, long disused, were disconnected around 1982 and lifted in 1988.

Today

The station buildings no longer exist and only one platform, the original platform and its extension to the west, remains in use.

Local

Although the railway hotel is no more, the former stationmaster's house is available as accommodation for large groups. Stationmaster's Lodge

Tags

Terminus Station Pier Riot

Aliases

Stromeferry Pier Strome Ferry Pier

External links

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

Facilities

Gaelic name: Port an t-Sròim

Nearby stations Duncraig Plockton Attadale Duirinish Strathcarron Kyle of Lochalsh Achnashellach Glencarron Achnasheen Mallaig Morar Achanalt Arisaig Beasdale Lochailort	Strome Ferry Shed Fernaig Bridge Avalanche Shelter Tourist/other South Strome Pier Stromeferry Station Hotel Stromeferry Viewpoint North Strome Pier Strome Castle Loch Carron Ulluva Beacon Birch Rock Buoy Bonadu Sgeir Beacon Duncraig Castle Hawk Rock Buoy Plockton Pier
Location names in dark blue are on the same original line.