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General information | |
Location | Thurso, Highland Scotland |
Coordinates | 58°35′24″N3°31′40″W / 58.5900°N 3.5278°W Coordinates: 58°35′24″N3°31′40″W / 58.5900°N 3.5278°W |
Grid reference | ND112679 |
Managed by | ScotRail |
Platforms | 1 |
Other information | |
Station code | THS [2] |
History | |
Original company | Sutherland and Caithness Railway |
Pre-grouping | Highland Railway |
Post-grouping | LMS |
Key dates | |
28 July 1874 | Opened |
Passengers | |
2017/18 | ![]() |
2018/19 | ![]() |
2019/20 | ![]() |
2020/21 | ![]() |
2021/22 | ![]() |
Listed Building –Category B | |
Designated | 28 November 1984 (amended 15 December 1998) |
Reference no. | Historic Scotland Building ID 42035 |
Notes | |
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Thurso railway station is a railway station located in Thurso,in the Highland council area in the far north of Scotland. It serves the town of Thurso and its surrounding areas in the historic county of Caithness. It is also the nearest station to the port of Scrabster (about 2.2 miles (3.5 km) to the northwest),which has ferry services linking the mainland with Stromness on the Orkney Islands. It is the northernmost station on the National Rail network. [3]
The station is situated at the end of a short branch line off the Far North Line. It is 6 miles 50 chains (10.7 km) down the line from Georgemas Junction (the other end of the branch),and 153 miles 70 chains (247.6 km) from Inverness. [4]
Thurso station is managed by ScotRail,which also operates all trains serving the station.
The station opened on 28 July 1874. [5] A wrought-iron turntable,45 feet (14 m) in diameter,was built at the station by the Railway Steel and Plant Company of Manchester. [6]
The station was threatened with closure in the 1960s under the Beeching Axe.[ citation needed ]
Until 2000,trains from Inverness would split in half at Georgemas Junction,with one portion going to Wick and the other to Thurso. In the age of locomotive-hauled trains prior to the introduction of diesel multiple units by British Rail,a locomotive was based at Georgemas Junction to take the Thurso portion to and from the junction. The practice of splitting trains ended when Class 158s were introduced on the line – since then all services run in full between Inverness and Wick via Thurso,in both directions,meaning they call at Georgemas Junction twice. [7]
There is one platform,which is long enough to accommodate a nine-carriage train. [8] The station is fully wheelchair-accessible,but it is not monitored by CCTV. [9] The station has a ticket office,although there are no self-service ticket machines,except for some smartcard validators. Other facilities include:a small car park,a sheltered bike stand,a payphone,waiting rooms,toilets and a post box. [9]
There is a bus stop located directly outside the station, [9] although the majority of bus services call at the nearby Miller Academy stop,150 metres (160 yd) to the north.
2002-03 | 2004-05 | 2005-06 | 2006-07 | 2007-08 | 2008-09 | 2009-10 | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Entries and exits | 38,112 | 37,338 | 35,083 | 32,906 | 37,064 | 43,450 | 47,792 | 48,172 | 48,090 | 46,024 | 43,802 | 42,082 | 38,426 | 37,322 | 39,174 | 39,974 | 39,702 | 6,474 | 25,200 |
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.
Despite being located at the end of the branch line,Thurso is not the terminus for any passenger services. On weekdays and Saturdays,the station is served by eight trains per day to Georgemas Junction,of which four continue to Inverness (via Helmsdale,Golspie,Lairg,Tain and Dingwall),and four continue to Wick. On Sundays the frequency drops to just two trains per day to Georgemas Junction,of which one goes to Inverness and one to Wick. [7]
An hourly shuttle between Wick and Thurso making use of Vivarail's Class 230 Battery Multiple Units has been proposed by the Friends of the Far North line,but to this date nothing has been confirmed. [11]
Preceding station | ![]() | Following station | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Georgemas Junction | ScotRail Far North Line | Georgemas Junction | ||
Historical railways | ||||
Terminus | Highland Railway Sutherland and Caithness Railway Thurso Branch | Hoy Line open,station closed |
The Far North Line is a rural railway line entirely within the Highland area of Scotland,extending from Inverness to Thurso and Wick. As the name suggests,it is the northernmost railway in the United Kingdom. The line is entirely single-track,with only passing loops at some intermediate stations allowing trains to pass each other. In common with other railway lines in the Highlands and northern Lowlands,it is not electrified and all trains are diesel-powered.
Dingwall railway station serves Dingwall,Scotland. It is located just south of the junction of the Far North Line and the Kyle of Lochalsh Line,and is managed and served by ScotRail. The station is 18 miles 58 chains (30.1 km) from Inverness,and is the zero point for the Kyle of Lochalsh Line. It is sited after Conon Bridge heading northbound,with the next station being either Garve or Alness.
Aviemore railway station serves the town and tourist resort of Aviemore in the Highlands of Scotland. The station,which is owned by Network Rail (NR) and managed by ScotRail,is on the Highland Main Line,83 miles 31 chains from Perth,between Kingussie and Carrbridge,and is also the southern terminus of the Strathspey preserved railway.
Inverness railway station is the railway station serving the Scottish city of Inverness. It is the terminus of the Highland Main Line,the Aberdeen–Inverness line,the Kyle of Lochalsh line and the Far North Line.
Altnabreac railway station is a rural railway station in the Highland council area of Scotland. It serves the area of Altnabreac –a settlement in which the station itself is the main component –in the historic county of Caithness.
Muir of Ord railway station is a railway station on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line and the Far North Line,serving the village of Muir of Ord in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is 13 miles 4 chains from Inverness,between Beauly and Conon Bridge,and is the location of the sole remaining passing loop on the single line between Dingwall and Inverness.
Alness railway station is a railway station on the Far North Line,serving the town of Alness,on the Cromarty Firth,in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is 28 miles 70 chains (46.5 km) from Inverness,between Dingwall and Invergordon. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Invergordon railway station is a railway station serving the town of Invergordon on the Cromarty Firth,in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line,31 miles 37 chains (50.6 km) from Inverness,between Alness and Fearn. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Fearn railway station is a railway station serving the village of Hill of Fearn in the Highland council area of Scotland,located around 1.3 miles (2.1 km) from the village. It is situated on the Far North Line,40 miles 60 chains (65.6 km) form Inverness,between Tain and Invergordon,and is also the nearest station to Balintore,Hilton and Shandwick,Portmahomack and the Nigg Bay area of Easter Ross. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Tain railway station is an unstaffed railway station serving the area of Tain in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line,44 miles 23 chains (71.3 km) from Inverness,between Fearn and Ardgay. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Ardgay railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ardgay and its neighbour Bonar Bridge in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line,57 miles 70 chains (93.1 km) from Inverness,between Tain and Culrain. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Culrain railway station serves the village of Culrain in Kyle of Sutherland in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line. It is 61 miles 0 chains (98.2 km) from Inverness,between Ardgay and Invershin. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Helmsdale railway station is a railway station serving the village of Helmsdale in the Highland council area,northern Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line,between Brora and Kildonan,101 miles 40 chains (163.3 km) from Inverness. ScotRail,who manage the station,operate all services.
Kildonan railway station is a railway station near Kildonan Lodge in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line,between Helmsdale and Kinbrace,111 miles 5 chains (178.7 km) from Inverness,and has a single platform which is long enough for a three-coach train. All services are operated by ScotRail,who manage the station.
Kinbrace railway station is a railway station serving the village of Kinbrace in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line,118 miles 20 chains from Inverness,between Kildonan and Forsinard. The station is managed by ScotRail,who operate the services at the station.
Forsinard railway station is a railway station serving the village of Forsinard in the Highland council area in the north of Scotland. It is located on the Far North Line,125 miles 69 chains from Inverness,between Kinbrace and Altnabreac. The station is managed by ScotRail,who operate the services at the station.
Scotscalder railway station is a railway station located in the Highland council area in the far north of Scotland. It serves several rural hamlets in the historic county of Caithness,including Scotscalder,Olgrinmore,Westerdale and Calder. It is accessed from the B870 road,two miles south of Scotscalder Hall.
Georgemas Junction railway station is a railway station located in the Highland council area in the far north of Scotland. It serves several rural hamlets in the historic county of Caithness,including Georgemas,Roadside and Banniskirk. It is also the nearest station to the village of Halkirk,which lies approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) west of the station.
Wick railway station is a railway station located in Wick,in the Highland council area in the far north of Scotland. It serves the town of Wick and other surrounding areas in the historic county of Caithness,including Staxigoe,Papigoe and Haster. The station is the terminus of the Far North Line,161 miles 36 chains from Inverness. It is managed by ScotRail,who operate all trains serving the station.
Conon Bridge is a railway station on the Far North and Kyle of Lochalsh Lines,which serves the villages of Conon Bridge and Maryburgh in the Scottish Highlands. Initially known as Conon,it originally closed in 1960 and reopened on 8 February 2013. The station is 16 miles 21 chains (26.2 km) from Inverness,between Muir of Ord and Dingwall.