Tain railway station

Railway station in Highland, Scotland

57°48′52″N 4°03′07″W / 57.8144°N 4.0519°W / 57.8144; -4.0519Grid referenceNH781823Managed byScotRailPlatforms2Other informationStation codeTAI[2]HistoryOriginal companyInverness and Ross-shire RailwayPre-groupingHighland RailwayPost-groupingLMSRKey dates1 June 1864[3]OpenedPassengers2018/19Decrease 29,3842019/20Decrease 28,0362020/21Decrease 3,5222021/22Increase 19,6642022/23Decrease 19,606
Listed Building – Category B
Designated6 October 1978Reference no.LB41910[4]
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

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.[5] ScotRail, who manage the station, operate all services.

History

In its heyday the station had a staff of approximately thirty people.[citation needed] The station was opened on 1 June 1864 by the Highland Railway.[3] Murdoch Paterson was the engineer involved in the construction of the station (1863–1864).

There have been two engine sheds at Tain in the past: the first was timber-built and originally from Invergordon, which included a turntable. It was re-erected and reopened in June 1864, but burned down on 20 April 1877.[6][page needed] The second was stone-built and opened in 1877. There were no facilities at the shed, although there was a water column and a turntable at the station. It was closed on 18 June 1962, and later demolished.[6][page needed] Both the turntable and the water tank were demolished at a later date, although the pit wall tops of the turntable remain visible.[citation needed] Two signal boxes have also been at the station, one at the north end and one at the south end, although both of these are now demolished.[citation needed]

Facilities

Both platforms have benches, although only platform 1 has a shelter. There is step-free access to both platforms (from two car parks, 1 adjacent to each platform), although the platforms are connected via a footbridge. The only help point is on platform 2.[7] As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.

Platform layout

The station has a passing loop 24 chains (480 m) long, with two platforms. Platform 1 on the southbound line can accommodate trains having seven coaches, whereas platform 2 on the down northbound line can hold eight.[8]

Services

A ScotRail train at Tain station, with a service bound for Inverness

There are five through trains northbound (four to Wick & Thurso, one to Ardgay) in the December 2021 timetable, and eight trains to Inverness southbound on weekdays & Saturdays. The additional departures to Inverness run mainly in the morning peak & evening and are run primarily for commuters. On Sundays there are four trains to Inverness and a single departure to Wick.[9]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Fearn or Invergordon   ScotRail
Far North Line
  Ardgay or
Terminates here
  Historical railways  
Fearn
Line and station open
  Highland Railway
Inverness and Ross-shire Railway
  Meikle Ferry
Line open; Station closed

References

  1. ^ Brailsford 2017, Gaelic/English Station Index.
  2. ^ Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. ^ a b Butt 1995, p. 226.
  4. ^ "STATION ROAD RAILWAY STATION". Historic Scotland. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ a b Griffiths, Roger; Smith, Paul (1999). The directory of British engine sheds and principal locomotive servicing points: Southern England, the Midlands, East Anglia and Wales. Oxford: Sparkford. ISBN 0860935426.
  7. ^ "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
  8. ^ Brailsford 2017, map 18D.
  9. ^ eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 219

Bibliography

  • Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-9-8.
  • Butt, R. V. J. (October 1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199. OL 11956311M.
  • Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tain railway station.
  • photo of disused turntable pit before being filled in
  • v
  • t
  • e
Railway stations served by ScotRail
Stations listed in italics are request stops.
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
  • Queens Park (Glasgow)
R
S
T
U
W
Y


Stub icon

This article about a railway station in the Highland council area of Scotland is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

  • v
  • t
  • e