Dalcross railway station

Dalcross
Location
Place	Dalcross
Area	Highland
Coordinates	57°31′36″N 4°04′15″W / 57.5267°N 4.0707°WCoordinates: 57°31′36″N 4°04′15″W / 57.5267°N 4.0707°W
Grid reference	NH761503
Operations
Original company	Inverness and Nairn Railway
Pre-grouping	Highland Railway
Post-grouping	London, Midland and Scottish Railway
Platforms	2
History
5 November 1855[1]	Opened
3 May 1965[1]	Closed
Disused railway stations in the United Kingdom
Closed railway stations in Britain A B C D–F G H–J K–L M–O P–R S T–V W–Z
UK Railways portal

Dalcross (Scottish Gaelic: Steisean Dealgros) was a railway station located at Dalcross, to the east of Inverness, Scotland (now in the Highland Council Area). It opened in 1855 and closed in 1965. A new station in Dalcross was proposed in the early 21st century, and is currently projected to open in 2019.

Original station

The Inverness and Nairn Railway was formally opened on 5 November 1855, public services beginning the following day,^[2] and Dalcross was one of the four intermediate stations originally provided.^[3] In September 1925, the distances of the station were given as 137 miles 10 chains (220.7 km) from Perth (measured via Dava), and 48 miles 6 chains (77.4 km) from Keith Junction.^[4]

Dalcross station closed on 3 May 1965,^[1] and the signal box closed on 12 March 1967.^[5] The station building remains however and is now a private residence. The level crossing at the eastern end of the station is now equipped with automatic half-barriers, and is 137 miles 17 chains (220.8 km) from Perth (via Dava).^[6]

Proposed new station

In June 2006 a proposal was announced to open a new station at Dalcross,^[7] which would serve Inverness Airport and also provide park-and-ride facilities for commuters to Inverness,^[8] relieving road congestion to the east of Inverness,^[9] and so helping to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.^[10] The proposal was still open in 2010, and it was specified that the station could have one platform on the north side of the line, 150 metres (490 ft) long, enough for a six-car Class 170 train. The proposed location of the station was given as having an eastern end at an overbridge at 136 miles 38 chains (219.6 km) (grid reference NH770511), extending westward to 136 miles 46 chains (219.8 km). There was also the possibility of providing a passing loop, which could not extend further west than the level crossing; a second platform would be built on the south side of the loop.^[11] In February 2011, Keith Brown, the Minister for Transport and Infrastructure in the Scottish Government, stated that discussions on the proposed station (and another at Kintore) were being held between Transport Scotland and Network Rail.^[12]

The station is proposed to open by 2019.^[13]

References

1. Butt 1995, p. 75.
2. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, p. 18.
3. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, p. 19.
4. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, pp. 177, 179.
5. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, pp. 179, 180.
6. Yonge 2007, map 18B.
7. Catford 2010, para. 1.
8. Transport Scotland report 2008, p. 1.
9. Transport Scotland report 2008, p. 2.
10. Transport Scotland report 2008, p. 4.
11. Pringle 2010, p. 13.
12. BBC News 2011.
13. Strathspey Herald http://www.strathspey-herald.co.uk/News/New-train-station-earmarked-for-Inverness-Airport-28032014.htm

Sources

• Butt, R. V. J. (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 1-8526-0508-1. OCLC 60251199.
• Catford, Nick (20 April 2010). "Dalcross Station". Disused Stations. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
• Pringle, Gordon (22 October 2010). "Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvement" (PDF). Network Rail. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
• Vallance, H.A.; Clinker, C.R.; Lambert, Anthony J. (1985) [1938]. The Highland Railway (4th ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-946537-24-0.
• Yonge, John (December 2007) [1987]. Jacobs, Gerald, ed. Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (5th ed.). Bradford on Avon: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-3-6.
• "Rail Users Group - Issues for Consideration by HITRANS RAG Meeting". The Friends of the Far North Line - Newsletter. May 2009. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
• "Strategic Transport Projects Review - Report 3 Generation, Sifting and Appraisal of Interventions - Annex 2" (PDF). Transport Scotland. 18 November 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2011.
• "Talks on new rail stations at Kintore and Dalcross". BBC News Highlands & Islands. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 19 April 2011.

External links

• RAILSCOT on Inverness and Nairn Railway
• Dalcross Station on navigable 1948 O.S. map