| Rogart | |
| Native Name: | Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic: Sgìre Raoird |
| Symbol Location: | gb |
| Symbol: | rail |
| Borough: | Rogart, Highland |
| Country: | Scotland |
| Coordinates: | 57.9886°N -4.1584°W |
| Grid Name: | Grid reference |
| Manager: | ScotRail |
| Platforms: | 2 |
| Code: | ROG[1] |
| Original: | Sutherland Railway |
| Pregroup: | Highland Railway |
| Postgroup: | London, Midland and Scottish Railway British Railways |
| Years: | 13 July 1868 |
| Events: | Opened as Rogart |
| Years1: | 13 June 1960 |
| Events1: | Closed |
| Years2: | 6 March 1961 |
| Events2: | Reopened |
| Years3: | 12 June 1961 |
| Events3: | Renamed Rogart Halt |
| Years4: | ? |
| Events4: | Renamed Rogart |
| Footnotes: | Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road |
Rogart railway station is a railway station serving the villages of Rogart and Pittentrail, in the Highland council area of Scotland and home to Fraser Roach. The station is on the Far North Line, 77miles from Inverness, between Golspie and Lairg.[2] ScotRail, who manage the station, operate all services.
The Sutherland Railway opened between and on 13 April 1868. Among the intermediate stations was one at Rogart, which opened with the line.
In common with six other stations north of Bonar Bridge (now), the station at Rogart was closed on 13 June 1960 with the intention of making economies; but the cuts were seen as too drastic, and Rogart station alone was reopened on 6 March 1961. Three months later, on 12 June 1961, it was renamed Rogart Halt, but has since reverted to Rogart.
The station has benches on both platforms, with a shelter on platform 1, and a waiting area on platform 2. there are also bike racks and a help point on platform 2, as well as a small car park adjacent to platform 2.[3] There are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train. Three old railway coaches offer accommodation, with discounts for those arriving and leaving by train.[4]
On 20 December 2022, Transport Scotland introduced a new "Press & Ride" system at Rogart,[5] following successful trials of the system at over the previous four months.[6] [7] Previously, passengers wishing to board a train at Rogart had to flag the train by raising their arm (as is still done at other request stops around the country); this meant that the driver needed to reduce the train's speed before a request stop (to look out for any potential passengers on the platform and be able to stop if necessary), even if the platform was empty. The new system consists of an automatic kiosk (with a button for passengers to press) at the platforms; this will alert the driver about any waiting passengers in advance and, if there is no requirement to stop, the train can maintain line speed through the request stops, thus improving reliability on the whole line.[8]
The platform on the northbound line can accommodate trains having five coaches, whereas the southbound platform can hold six.
The station sees 4 trains to Inverness and 4 trains to Wick, on weekdays and Saturdays. On Sundays this drops to just 1 train each way.[9]