Place Halkirk Station code GGJ 2011/12 1,684 | Grid reference ND155592 Managed by Abellio ScotRail 2012/13 1,906 Number of platforms 1 | |
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Address Halkirk KW12 6XA, United Kingdom Original company Sutherland and Caithness Railway Similar Scotscalder railway station, Forsinard railway station, Thurso railway station, Altnabreac railway station, Invershin railway station | ||
Georgemas Junction railway station is a railway station serving the village of Halkirk and its surrounding areas in the Highland council area, northern Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, within the historic county of Caithness. Georgemas Junction is the junction of the Thurso branch from the Inverness-Wick line, the most northerly railway junction in Scotland.
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History
The station was built by the Sutherland and Caithness Railway (S&CR). It opened on 28 July 1874 and on that date the Highland Railway absorbed the S&CR and operated the newly completed line from Helmsdale to Thurso and Wick. From 1 January 1923 the station was operated by the London Midland and Scottish Railway.
At the end of February 1937 trains were stuck at Georgemas Junction because of heavy snow. A goods train from Inverness got stuck in a drift 9 feet (2.7 m) deep. An engine with a snow plough was also stuck at the same location.
Operation
Until diesel multiple unit trains were introduced by British Rail in the early 1990s, all trains on the Far North Line were locomotive hauled, initially by Highland Railway steam locomotives, then by LMSR steam locomotives and latterly by British Railways steam and finally Class 37 diesel locomotives. Northbound passenger trains would divide at Georgemas Junction, with the rear portion for Thurso and the front portion for Wick. A locomotive was stabled at Georgemas Junction to haul the Thurso carriages.
Following the introduction of Class 156 diesel multiple units on the line, trains were always composed of two trainsets (four cars) and at Georgemas, these would split in half with the front portion heading to Wick, the rear to Thurso.
This practice was halted with the introduction of Class 158 sets which operate as single sets. On arrival at Georgemas Junction from Inverness, trains reverse to reach Thurso, and then reverse again from Thurso back to Georgemas Junction (stopping a second time) and on to Wick. An easement to the National Routeing Guide allows passengers for Wick to stay on the train between Georgemas Junction and Thurso, which would otherwise technically be off-route.
Georgemas Junction station has been used for several freight services. In the early 2000s, EWS operated a freight train for Safeway supermarket, running from Mossend to Georgemas. Containers were unloaded at Georgemas, then transported by road to Wick and Thurso, and by ferry to Orkney.
In 2012, Direct Rail Services constructed a new freight terminal at Georgemas, which led to the removal of the former southbound platform & footbridge. This has been used by trains taking nuclear material from Dounreay to Sellafield.
Services
There are four trains to and from Inverness each weekday - each northbound one travels to Thurso first before returning here and continuing to Wick, before performing the procedure in reverse on each southbound journey (so calling at the station twice per trip). There is one service each way between Inverness & Thurso/Wick on Sundays.