Scotscalder railway station
{{Short description|Railway station in Highland, Scotland}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox station
| name = Scotscalder
| native_name = {{langx|gd|Caladal nan Gall}}{{sfn|Brailsford|2017|loc=Gaelic/English Station Index}}
| symbol_location = gb
| symbol = rail
| image = Scotscalder.jpg
| caption = The platform at Scotscalder, looking southwest
| borough = Scotscalder, Highland
| country = Scotland
| coordinates = {{coord|58.4829|-3.5521|type:railwaystation_region:GB_scale:10000|display=inline,title}}
| grid_name = Grid reference
| grid_position = {{gbmapscaled|ND096560|25|ND096560}}
| manager = ScotRail
| platforms = 1
| original = Sutherland and Caithness Railway
| pregroup = Highland Railway
| postgroup = LMS
| years = 28 July 1874Butt (1995)
| events = Open
| mpassengers =
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2019/20 |passengers={{decrease}} 232}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2020/21 |passengers={{decrease}} 18}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2021/22 |passengers={{increase}} 116}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2022/23 |passengers={{increase}} 124}}
{{Rail pass box |pass_year=2023/24 |passengers={{increase}} 242}}
| footnotes = Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road
}}
Scotscalder railway station is a railway station located in the Highland council area in the far north of Scotland. It serves several rural hamlets in the historic county of Caithness, including Scotscalder, Olgrinmore, Westerdale and Calder. It is accessed from the B870 road, {{convert|2|mi|km|0|spell=in}} south of Scotscalder Hall.
The station is situated on the Far North Line, {{convert|143|mi|2|chain|km|lk=in}} down the line from {{rws|Inverness}}, between Altnabreac and Georgemas Junction.{{Cite book |title=TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain |publisher=Platform 5 Publishing Ltd |year=2017 |isbn=978-1909431-26-3 |editor-last=Bridge |editor-first=Mike |edition=3rd |location=Sheffield |pages=104}} It has a single platform which is long enough to accommodate a four-carriage train.
Owing to its geographical remoteness, limited services and lengthy journey times, Scotscalder's patronage is extremely low: the station has not seen more than 500 passengers in a year since at least the 2002–03 financial year. In 2017–18 the station only saw 182 passengers, making it the 12th least-used railway station in Britain and the least-used on the Far North Line. In 2018–19 the patronage increased to 238, making Scotscalder the second least-used station on the line (behind {{rws|Kildonan}}) and the 15th least-used in Britain.
The station is managed by ScotRail, who operate all trains serving the station.
History
File:Scotscalder station CB.jpg
The station was opened by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway on 28 July 1874.{{cite news |author= |title=The Sunderland and Caithness Railway |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/18740727/098/0005 |newspaper=The Scotsman |location=British Newspaper Archive |date=27 July 1874 |access-date=14 August 2016 |via = British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription }}
In 1988 the station house was sold by the British Railways Board for conversion to a residential dwelling. Following the conversion, in 1993, the station house was sold again and renovated further, for which the owner won the Ian Allan Railway Heritage Award. The station house was used as a holiday home during this period, but was available to rent for short periods. The station house is now a private residence and is no longer available to rent or open to the public.{{Cite book |last=Caton |first=Peter |title=Remote Stations |publisher=Matador |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-78901-408-2 |location=Leicestershire |pages=263}}
{{Clear left}}
Facilities
The station has minimal facilities, including bike racks, a help point and a small waiting shelter.{{Cite web |title=National Rail Enquiries - |url=https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/stations-and-destinations/stations-made-easy/scotscalder-station-plan |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=www.nationalrail.co.uk}} As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.
On 15 August 2022, Transport Scotland introduced a new "Press & Ride" system at the station on a trial basis.{{cite news|author=|date=October 2022|isbn=((9771475971140))|title=Far North request-stop kiosk on trial|page=16|work=Today's Railways UK|issue=248|publisher=Platform 5}}{{cite news|author=|date=September 2022|isbn=((9770033892354))|title=First of Scotland's request-stop kiosks goes live|page=8|work=The Railway Magazine|publisher=Mortons of Horncastle}} Previously, passengers wishing to board a train at Scotscalder had to flag the train by raising their arm (as is still done at other request stops around the country); this meant that the driver had to reduce the train's speed before a request stop (to look out for any potential passengers on the platform and be able to stop if necessary), even if the platform was empty. The new system consists of an automatic kiosk (with a button for passengers to press) at the platform; this will alert the driver about any waiting passengers in advance and, if there is no requirement to stop, the train can maintain line speed through the station, thus improving reliability on the whole line.[https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/rail/far-north-line-review-group/ Far North Line Review Group] – Transport Scotland Following the successful trial at Scotscalder, this system was expanded on 20 December 2022 to cover five more request stops on the line, namely {{rws|Kinbrace}}, {{rws|Kildonan}}, {{rws|Rogart}}, {{rws|Invershin}} and {{rws|Culrain}}; the last two kiosks, at {{rws|Altnabreac}} and {{rws|Dunrobin Castle}}, are expected to be in operation from spring 2023.{{cite news|author=|date=February 2023|isbn=((9771475971140))|title=More request stop kiosks on Far North Line|page=14|work=Today's Railways UK|issue=252|publisher=Platform 5}}
Services
File:158717 Scotscalder.jpg approaching Scotscalder]]
On weekdays and Saturdays, the service pattern from the station consists of four trains per day northbound to {{rws|Wick}} via {{rws|Thurso}} and three trains per day southbound to {{rws|Inverness}} via {{rws|Helmsdale}}, {{rws|Golspie}}, {{rws|Lairg}}, {{rws|Tain}} and {{rws|Dingwall}}. (There is a fourth train bound for Inverness but it is not scheduled to call at Scotscalder.) On Sundays there is just one train per day each way.eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 219
This station is designated as a request stop. This means that passengers intending to alight must inform the guard in advance, and any passengers wishing to board must press a "request" button located at the kiosk on the platform.
{{rail start}}
{{rail line
|previous = {{rws|Altnabreac}}
|next = {{rws|Georgemas Junction}}
|route = ScotRail
Far North Line
|col = {{ScotRail colour}} }}
{{Historical Rail Insert}}
{{rail line
|previous = {{rws|Altnabreac}}
Line and station open
|next = {{rws|Halkirk}}
Line open, station closed
|route = Highland Railway
Sutherland and Caithness Railway
|col = {{HR colour}} |lightcol={{HR light}} }}
{{s-end}}
References
{{reflist}}
Bibliography
- {{cite book |editor-last=Brailsford |editor-first=Martyn |title=Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man |edition=6th |date=December 2017 |orig-year=1987 |publisher=Trackmaps |location=Frome |isbn=978-0-9549866-9-8 }}
- {{Butt-Stations}}
- {{Jowett-Atlas}}
- {{Jowett-Nationalised}}
External links
{{Commons}}
{{Stn art lnk|SCT}}
- [http://railscot.co.uk/Sutherland_and_Caithness_Railway/frame.htm RAILSCOT article on Sutherland and Caithness Railway]
- [https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/S/Scotscalder RAILSCOT page on Scotscalder]
{{Railway stations served by Abellio Scotrail}}
Category:Railway stations in Highland (council area)
Category:Railway stations in Caithness
Category:Railway stations served by ScotRail
Category:Railway request stops in Great Britain
Category:Low usage railway stations in the United Kingdom