Far North Line: a brief history

Complex topography has dictated the route. There are three firths (Beauly, Cromarty and Dornoch), and high ground to the north of Helmsdale known as the Ord of Caithness. That’s why the railway wanders through the Strath of Kildonan, isolating fishing villages between Helmsdale and Wick.

The first railway reached Inverness in 1855, linking with Nairn, 15 miles north east along the Moray Firth. Thoughts then turned towards how the Far North, a route strewn with formidable obstacles, might be connected.

In 1859, Sir Alexander Matheson of Ardross promoted a railway that would go directly from Inverness to Invergordon (a 31-mile route). It began by running west, inland, along the flank of the Firth, before veering north at Beauly.

The first stretch between Inverness and Dingwall opened in June 1862, and in March 1863 it began running to Invergordon. Two months later Parliament authorised extending the line to Bonar Bridge (a further 26 miles). Progress was swift. That section opened in 1864, although the station was sited at Ardgay (at the head of the Dornoch Firth, south of Bonar Bridge).

The Highland Railway was formed in June 1865, a merger of the Inverness and Aberdeen/ Inverness and Perth Junction Railways. That month, the Far North Line’s next stage (almost 33 miles long) was approved. It continued from Ardgay along the Kyle of Sutherland’s western flank, crossing northwards at Invershin to Lairg and then turning east, where eventually it returned to the coast (linking Golspie and Brora).

The third Duke of Sutherland had taken a keen interest in promoting the line, not least to serve his family seat at Dunrobin Castle. But that next stage (opened in April 1868) only reached Golspie - Dunrobin lay two miles north east. In 1870, the Duke obtained Parliamentary authority for a line linking Golspie with Helmsdale. This included transferring powers for the section between Golspie and Brora to his new line.

The line between Dunrobin and a temporary station ( West Helmsdale) opened in November 1870. The following June, the remaining construction was completed and the line open

throughout to Helmsdale. The Highland Railway took over the working of the line, and the temporary terminus at Dunrobin became a private station for the estate.

Meanwhile, in 1866, the Caithness Railway had been given permission to build a line joining Wick and Thurso. But beyond (southwards) lay mountainous territory, and at the outset there were no plans to connect the line to any other railway.

However, inspired by the Duke of Sutherland’s efforts in constructing a line to Helmsdale, a new company - Sutherland and Caithness Railway - was formed and received its authorising Act in July 1871. It wanted not only to link Wick and Thurso, but also to connect to Helmsdale.

With the Highland Railway subscribing £ 50,000 and the Duke of Sutherland £ 60,000, the two routes finally joined up in July 1874. Curiously, no attempt had been made to reach any harbours en route, despite the importance of sea trade. It’s hard to escape the feeling that these were wasted opportunities.

With the line between Inverness and Wick/ Thurso complete, the railway companies that had formed it continued independently, although the line was worked throughout as if it were one.

Thereafter, branches were constructed from Muir of Ord to Fortrose (opened 1894, closed to passengers 1951 and freight 1960); from The Mound to Dornoch (opened 1902, closed 1960); and from Wick to Lybster (opened 1903, closed 1944). West of Dingwall a short branch served Strathpeffer, a Victorian spa resort. This closed to passengers in 1946.

Some lines progressed no further than the planning stage. Branches were proposed from Bonar Bridge to Lochinver, Lairg to Laxford Bridge, Forsinard to Melvich, Thurso to Scrabster, Thurso to John o’Groats and Fearn to Portmahomack.

A branch from Conon to Cromarty was started with six miles of track and earthworks laid down at the Cromarty end, but abandoned in 1914 at the outbreak of the First World War. Most of these proposals would have served areas with a low population - their raison d’être would have been freight, mainly fish and timber.