Golspie

Scottish Gaelic: Goillspidh[1]
National Rail
General information
LocationGolspie, Highland
Scotland
Coordinates57°58′16″N 3°59′15″W / 57.9712°N 3.9874°W / 57.9712; -3.9874
Grid referenceNH825997
Managed byScotRail
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeGOL[2]
History
Original companySutherland Railway
Pre-groupingHighland Railway
Post-groupingLMSR
Key dates
13 April 1868 (1868-04-13)Opened as terminus
19 June 1871Line extended to Helmsdale
Passengers
2018/19Increase 6,150
2019/20Decrease 5,586
2020/21Decrease 576
2021/22Increase 4,536
2022/23Decrease 4,056
Listed Building – Category B
Designated7 March 1984
Reference no.LB7009[3]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Golspie railway station is a railway station serving the village of Golspie in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is on the Far North Line, situated between Rogart and Dunrobin Castle, 84 miles 30 chains (135.8 km) from Inverness.[4] ScotRail, who manage the station, operate all services.

History

It was designed with a combined post office by the architect William Fowler,[5] and opened on 13 April 1868. Originally, it was the northern terminus of the Sutherland Railway, which had been intended to continue to Brora but had run out of money after reaching Golspie. The Duke of Sutherland used his own personal finances to build the line onwards through Brora to Helmsdale, this being the Duke of Sutherland's Railway, completed on 19 June 1871.[6][7][8]

The station formerly had two platforms and a passing loop. One platform remains in use and the loop has been lifted.

The former goods yard is to the south of the station. The station was host to a LMS caravan from 1935 to 1939.[9] A camping coach was also positioned here by the Scottish Region from 1957 to 1959 and 1964, no coaches were at the station in 1960 and 1961, then a Pullman camping coach was here in 1962, 1963 and 1965 and finally two ordinary coaches were here in 1966 and 1967.[10]

Facilities

Golspie station, as seen in 2012

The station has one platform, with a small car park, a waiting shelter, bike racks and a help point. As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.[11]

Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Golspie[12]
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 2022–23
Entries and exits 7,032 7,530 7,429 6,956 7,587 9,154 8,486 8,092 6,852 7,550 7,788 6,770 5,192 5,718 5,786 6,150 5,586 576 4,536 4,056

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

On weekdays and Saturdays, there are 4 trains each way (i.e., 4 to Inverness and 4 to Wick). On Sundays, this drops to just one in each direction.[13]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Rogart   ScotRail
Far North Line		   Dunrobin Castle
or Brora
  Historical railways  
The Mound
Line open, station closed		   Highland Railway
Left arrow Sutherland Railway
Duke of Sutherland's Railway Right arrow		   Dunrobin Castle
Line and station open

References

  1. ↑ Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. "Gaelic/English Station Index". Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-9-8.
  2. ↑ Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. ↑ "GOLSPIE RAILWAY STATION". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
  4. ↑ Bridge, Mike, ed. (2017). TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain (3rd ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 102. ISBN 978 1909431 26 3.
  5. ↑ "DSA Architect Biography Report: William Fowler". Dictionary of Scottish Architects, 1660-1980.
  6. ↑ Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. pp. 71–72, 106. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  7. ↑ Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. London: Guild Publishing. p. 105. CN 8983.
  8. ↑ Vallance, H.A.; Clinker, C.R.; Lambert, Anthony J. (1985) [1938]. The Highland Railway (4th ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. pp. 35–36. ISBN 0-946537-24-0.
  9. ↑ McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. p. 22. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
  10. ↑ McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. p. 13. ISBN 1-870119-53-3.
  11. ↑ "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 3 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 December 2023.
  13. ↑ eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 219
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