1. History
    Stationmasters 

2. Description

3. Services
     Air    Bus   Rail  Current services  Future planned improvements 

4. References

5. Sources

6. External links

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|platforms = 7
|original = Inverness and Nairn Railway
|pregroup = Highland Railway
|postgroup = LMS
|years = 5 November 1855
|events = Opened
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|}}

Inverness railway station is the railway station serving the Scottish city of Inverness.

History

Opened on 5 November 1855^[1] as the western terminus of the Inverness and Nairn Railway^[2] to designs by the architect, Joseph Mitchell.^[3] The station originally comprised a single covered passenger platform {{convert|200|ft|m}} with three lines of rails, one for arrivals, one for departures and a spare line for carriages.

In 1857 the railway company erected a clock in front of the station facing Academy Street. This clock by Bryson & Sons, Princes Street, Edinburgh, was illuminated at night.^[4]

In 1865 the station was enlarged. The platform was lengthened to {{convert|300|ft|m}} and a shed added which was {{convert|300|ft|m}} long, {{convert|51|ft|m}} wide and {{convert|20|ft|m}} high. There were double lines for north and south traffic.^[5]

The platforms were extended again to {{convert|500|ft|m}} and the platform roofs were extended in 1876 by Murdoch Paterson. The station platforms were lit by electricity for the first time in 1908.^[6]

In 1933, as part of an internal reorganization, the London and North Eastern Railway closed their offices at the station and the staff relocated to Aberdeen.^[7]

Between 1966 and 1968 under British Rail the station buildings were replaced, the new design by Thomas Munro and Company.

It is now the terminus of the Highland Main Line, the Aberdeen-Inverness Line (of which the Inverness and Nairn Railway is now a part), the Kyle of Lochalsh Line and the Far North Line.

A revamp by Mott Macdonald of the station's frontage, forecourt and concourse is planned to be completed by 2018.^[8]

Stationmasters

• G.H. Critchley 1863 - 1888
• William Forbes 1888 - 1898^[9] formerly stationmaster at Grantown railway station
• Colin Mackay 1898^[10] - 1919, formerly stationmaster at Grantown railway station
• Frank MacPhail 1919^[11] - 1931, formerly station master at Elgin railway station
• William Macleod 1931 - 1938
• James Donaldson 1938 - 1940
• John A. MacRae 1942^[12] - 1956

Description

Inverness is owned by Network Rail. However, it is operated by Abellio ScotRail who run most of the services using the station. Caledonian Sleeper and London North Eastern Railway run the only non-ScotRail services.

The station itself sits at one apex of a triangular junction in the centre of Inverness, with each half of the station connected to one line. The Highland Main and Aberdeen Lines both approach the station from the east and use Platforms 1–4, while the Far North Line (which also carries traffic heading for the Kyle Line) approach from the north-west and use Platforms 5–7. Platform 5 also has a connection from the east side, but it is only usable by a two car train, and even then, it must not be in passenger service and movements from Platform 5 to the east line are not allowed. Platform 1 is long enough for a 13-coach train; platform 2 can hold 15 coaches; platforms 3 and 4, eight each; and platforms 5–7 will accommodate five coaches each.{{sfn|Brailsford|2017|loc=map 18B}}

A single parliamentary train is run along the third chord of the triangle each weekday, as part of a through Kyle-Elgin service, which runs across the chord before reversing into the station. In the 2013 timetable, this is currently the 17:14 Kyle-Elgin service.

The third chord runs between Rose Street Junction on the Far North Line and Welsh's Bridge Junction on the Aberdeen/Perth line. The Aberdeen and Perth lines diverge at Millburn Junction a short distance beyond Welsh's Bridge. Platforms 1–4 are {{convert|118|mi|3|chain|km|lk=in}} from {{stnlnk|Perth|Scotland}} (measured via {{stnlnk|Carrbridge}}); Millburn Junction, {{convert|117|mi|37|chain|km}} from Perth, is also {{convert|143|mi|39|chain|km}} from Perth (measured via {{stnlnk|Dava}}). The station is the zero point for the Far North Line, and platforms 5–7 are {{convert|2|chain|m}} along this line; Rose Street Junction, {{convert|18|chain|m}} along the Far North Line, is {{convert|118|mi|1|chain|km}} from Perth.{{sfn|Brailsford|2017|loc=map 18B}} Signalling for the entire area is controlled from a panel box near the station built in 1988. This supervises the station area & approaches and also houses the Radio Electronic Token Block (RETB) control desk that monitors the full length of the Kyle & Far North lines. RETB was installed by British Rail.

Platform destination LED screens are installed, along with a main departures and arrivals information board. Each of Platforms 1-7 has its own screen showing departures from that platform. Screens are also present behind the wall for all platforms from 3-6. In addition, several other screens are also visible for general information.

Services

Air

Stagecoach North Scotland route 11 runs every 30 minutes between Inverness city centre and Inverness Airport. The bus leaves from Strothers Lane, just around the corner from the station. Journey time to the airport is 25 minutes.

Bus

The main coach and bus station is located in Margaret Street, 150 m northwest of and just around the corner from the railway station. Many services can also be joined at the stop on Millburn Road outside Marks and Spencer, closer to the station.

Aside from local buses, there are also long-distance coach services which allow rail passengers to continue their journey to areas of the Highlands not on the rail network:

• Scottish Citylink route 961 operates two daily return services to Ullapool to connect with Caledonian MacBrayne ferry sailings to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. (Rail passengers may also connect with this bus at {{Stnlnk|Garve}} on the Kyle of Lochalsh line, but the timings are not so convenient.)
• Scottish Citylink route 919 operates six daily return services down the Great Glen to Fort William, calling at Urquhart Castle, Fort Augustus and intermediate points. Two of these services allow onward connections with Citylink route 918 from Fort William to Oban.

Rail

Current services

As of May 2016:

• 7 trains per day to {{Stnlnk|Edinburgh Waverley}} via Perth.^[13]
• 4 trains per day to {{Stnlnk|Glasgow Queen Street}}.
• 11 trains per day to {{Stnlnk|Aberdeen}} - one of these continues to Edinburgh via {{rws|Dundee}}. An additional evening service runs to {{rws|Elgin}} (which operates through from the Kyle line).^[14]
• 12 trains per day (13 on Fridays and Saturdays) via {{Stnlnk|Dingwall}}, of which:
  • 4 trains per day to {{Stnlnk|Wick}} and {{Stnlnk|Thurso}}.
  • 4 trains per day to {{Stnlnk|Kyle of Lochalsh}}.
  • Other services terminate at {{Stnlnk|Invergordon}}, {{Stnlnk|Tain}} or {{Stnlnk|Ardgay}}.^[15]
• 1 daytime train per day to {{Stnlnk|London King's Cross}} via, {{rws|Falkirk Grahamston}}, Edinburgh, {{Stnlnk|Newcastle}} and {{Stnlnk|York}} (the "Highland Chieftain").^[16]
• 1 sleeper train per day to {{Stnlnk|London Euston}} via {{Stnlnk|Preston}} and {{Stnlnk|Crewe}} (the Highland Caledonian Sleeper - doesn't operate on Saturday nights).^[17]

Future planned improvements

From 2018, this station will be one of those to benefit from a package of timetable enhancements to be introduced by Transport Scotland and Scotrail. The current Perth to Inverness timetable will be increased to hourly each way, with trains south of there running on alternate hours to Edinburgh & Glasgow. Journey times will be reduced by 10 minutes to both cities. The service to Nairn, Forres & Elgin will also be enhanced to hourly and some Aberdeen trains extended through to Dundee and beyond.^[18]

References

Sources

• {{cite book |editor-last=Brailsford |editor-first=Martyn |title=Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man |edition=6th |date=December 2017 |origyear=1987 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Frome |isbn=978-0-9549866-9-8 |ref=harv }}
• {{Butt-Stations}}
• {{Jowett-Atlas}}
• {{Jowett-Nationalised}}

External links

• Inverness Station Information

• Nowy Susk, Ostrołęka County
• Nowy Susk, Sierpc County
• Nowy Swiat (disambiguation)
• Nowy Swiat, Gmina Kaweczyn
• Nowy Swiat, Gmina Tuliszkow
• Nowy Swiat, Konin County
• Nowy Swiat, Koscian County
• Nowy Swiat, Leszno County
• Nowy Swiat, Lublin Voivodeship
• Nowy Swiat, Masovian Voivodeship
• Nowy Swiat, Miedzyrzecz County
• Nowy Swiat, Nowy Tomysl County
• Nowy Swiat, Opole Voivodeship
• Nowy Swiat, Poddebice County
• Nowy Swiat, Pomeranian Voivodeship
• Nowy Swiat (Warsaw Metro)
• Nowy Swiat, Wielun County
• Nowy Swiat, Zielona Gora County
• Nowy Swietochow
• Nowy Swietow
• Nowy Szczeglin
• Nowy Szelkow
• Nowy Szelków
• Nowy Szwarocin
• Nowy Sącz (parliamentary constituency)