51L: The finely detailed railway model. A brief background to the Highland Railway

Highland Railway: A brief biography

The Great North of Scotland Railway had reached Huntly from Kittybrewster by 1854, extended to Waterloo Guay in Aberdeen in 1855 and to Kieth the following year. Finally a short extension to the new joint Aberdeen station at Guild Street was constructed from Kittybrewster in 1867. Because of a shortage of funds the railway was unable to reach its final destination, the highland capital Inverness. Coach connections had been provided but it was this failure and the need to change terminals for connections to the south at Aberdeen that led to a number of schemes to improve communications in the North East. From these schemes the Highland Railway was finally born.

First the Inverness and Nairn Railway was opened in 1855 followed by the Nairn to Keith section in 1858 allowing a through journey from Inverness to Aberdeen. These two railways amalgamated to form the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway in 1861. Continued agitation by the Inverness parties led to a direct route to the south at Perth in 1863 via a number of connecting railway companies. It was now possible to travel to the south by a direct route with considerable saving in time and inconvenience at Aberdeen as well as cost. These schemes eventually led to the formation of the Highland Railway in 1861 when these small railway companies amalgamated and consolidated.

The new company had its headquarters in Inverness where a locomotive works was established. At the time of its inception the company had a route mileage of 242 miles. Over the next few years the Highland developed its activities with lines to Kyle of Lochalsh and the Far North line to Thurso and Wick. Unlike any other main line railway it had a high proportion of single track working. The traffic of the Highland Railway was seasonal in nature being dependent on agriculture and tourists particularly during the shooting season. Indeed it was the Highland railway which opened up the North of Scotland to tourists. By 1923 Highland Railway had over 500 route miles and occupied third place among the five Scottish pre-group companies. It became part of the London Midland and Scottish railway in 1923. Today the old Highland is largely intact save for the route to Inverness via Aviemore to Forres. The scenery on the Kyle of Lochalsh and far North Lines can be enjoyed on day trips from Inverness.

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For further reading we suggest the following :-

The Pre-grouping Railways part 2, C Heap, J van Riemsdijk
The Highland Railway Album Vol 1 and 2, A J Lambert
Locomotive & Train Working in the Latter Part of the Nineteenth Century, E L Ahrons
The Highland Miscellany, P Tatlow
Highland Railway Liveries, H Geddes, E Bellass
The Highland Railway Company and its Constituents and Successors 1855-1955, The Stephenson Locomotive Society
A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain, Vol 15, North of Scotland
The Skye Railway, The History of the Railways of Scotland, Vol 5, J Thomas
The Highland Railway, The History of the Railways of Scotland, Vol 2, H A Valllance
The Railway Achieve, vol 9, Pouteau Listings part 9, The Great Western Railway Part IV, Highland Railway, Hull & Barnsley Railway and the Isle of White, J Asop, Lightmoor Press, ISBN1477-5336-01

Many of the these books may be obtained from specialised book sellers for some suggestions press here.

For research groups contact the following:

The Highland Railway Society

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