Achterneed railway station explained

Achterneed
Status:Disused
Borough:Strathpeffer, Highland
Country:Scotland
Coordinates:57.6027°N -4.5271°W
Grid Name:Grid reference
Platforms:1
Original:Dingwall and Skye Railway
Pregroup:Highland Railway
Postgroup:LMS
Years:19 August 1870
Events:Station opened as Strathpeffer[1]
Years1:3 June 1885
Events1:Name changed to Achterneed[2]
Years2:7 December 1965
Events2:Station closed

Achterneed railway station was a railway station serving Strathpeffer and located on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line, in Wester Ross, Highland, Scotland.

History

Opened in 1870, the station was sited two miles NNE of Strathpeffer between Dingwall and Garve. It was initially named Strathpeffer but the name was changed to avoid passenger confusion when the branch line to that town from Dingwall opened in 1885.

The station was opened by the Dingwall and Skye Railway, but operated from the outset by the Highland Railway.

On 25 September 1897 a mixed passenger and goods train from Dingwall to Strome Ferry was approaching the summit of the line at Raven's Rock, just west of Achterneed station, when the coupling broke between the 5th and 6th vehicles and the 10 rear vehicles of the train ran backwards for a distance of 6 miles, coming to a halt just before the junction with the main line at Dingwall.[3] The station master at Achterneed noticed the runaway train, and sent notice to Dingwall. The signalman at Dingwall managed to alert two intermediate level crossings. The crossing keeper at the first location was away from her house and the crossing gates were smashed. The keeper at the second location managed to close her gates and prevent any damage.

The station was taken into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway during the Grouping of 1923, the line then passed on to the Scottish Region of British Railways on nationalisation in 1948.

The station was closed by the British Railways Board in 1965.

References

Sources

External links

Notes and References

  1. Butt (1995), page 222
  2. Butt (1995), page 13
  3. Web site: Accident Returns: Extract for the Accident at Achterneed on 25th September 1897 . . RailwaysArchive . 13 November 2021 .