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Achnashellach railway station

Coordinates: 57°28′56″N 5°19′59″W / 57.4821°N 5.3331°W / 57.4821; -5.3331
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Achnashellach

Scottish Gaelic: Achadh nan Seileach[1]
National Rail
Achnashellach station in November 2019
General information
LocationAchnashellach, Highland
Scotland
Coordinates57°28′56″N 5°19′59″W / 57.4821°N 5.3331°W / 57.4821; -5.3331
Grid referenceNH002484
Managed byScotRail
Platforms1
Other information
Station codeACH[2]
History
Original companyDingwall and Skye Railway
Pre-groupingHighland Railway
Post-groupingLMSR
Key dates
August 1870Station opened[3]
Passengers
2018/19Decrease 820
2019/20Increase 836
2020/21Decrease 130
2021/22Increase 650
2022/23Increase 752
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Achnashellach railway station is a railway station serving Achnashellach on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line, in Wester Ross, Scotland. The station lies between Strathcarron and Achnasheen, 40 miles 34 chains (65.1 km) from Dingwall.[4] ScotRail, who manage the station, operate all services.

History

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The station seen in 1970

The station was privately opened by the Dingwall and Skye Railway in August 1870, primarily to serve Achnashellach Lodge near Loch Dughaill,[5] but was operated from the outset by the Highland Railway (HR), and only opened to the public a year later, on 1 May 1871.[6] The passing loop at the station was removed in 1966, and the wooden station buildings removed a few years after, although he remains of the second platform are partially visible.[7]

Accidents and incidents

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On 14 October 1892, Achnashellach was the scene of a runaway train in which the brake in the brake van had malfunctioned. Subsequently, this train moved off down the slope at considerable speed without a locomotive to keep it under control. Reaching the bottom of the slope, it had enough energy to proceed back uphill, before running down the slope once again. Unfortunately, another train was approaching Achnashellach in the opposite direction at that very moment, and the two trains collided at the bottom of the slope with great force. Eight passengers were injured, though none seriously, and the track was not damaged with only minor damage occurring to the rolling stock.[8]

Facilities

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Facilities, like at many other stations on the line, are incredibly basic, comprising just a shelter, help point and bike racks, although the station is fully accessible.[9] As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.

Passenger volume

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The main origin or destination station for journeys to or from Achnashellach in the 2022–23 period was Inverness, making up 410 of the 752 journeys (54.5%).[10]

Passenger Volume at Achnashellach[10]
2002–03 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23
Entries and exits 664 691 593 540 655 646 778 738 1,084 1,054 976 800 1,078 878 870 820 836 130 650 752

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

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Four trains each way call (on request) on weekdays and Saturdays and one each way all year on Sundays, plus a second from May to late September only.[11][12]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Achnasheen   ScotRail
Kyle of Lochalsh Line
  Strathcarron
  Historical railways  
Glencarron Platform   Highland Railway
Dingwall and Skye Railway
  Strathcarron

References

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  1. ^ Brailsford 2017, Gaelic/English Station Index.
  2. ^ Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. ^ Caton 2018.
  4. ^ 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. 97. ISBN 978-1909431-26-3.
  5. ^ Caton 2018, p. 253.
  6. ^ Quick 2022, p. 44.
  7. ^ Caton 2018, p. 254.
  8. ^ "The railway accident at Achnashellach". Inverness Courier. 2 December 1892. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
  9. ^ "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  11. ^ eNRT May 2022 Edition, Table 219
  12. ^ eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 219

Bibliography

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