The Inverness and Ross-shire Railway was incorporated on 3 July 1860 with the aim to build a line to Invergordon. The line opened in stages - from Inverness to Dingwall on 11 June 1862 and from Dingwall to Invergordon on 23 March 1863.
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Mergers
On 30 June 1862 the railway was incorporated into the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway, which had previously absorbed the Inverness and Nairn Railway. Ultimately the line became part of the Highland Railway on 1 February 1865.
Extension
The extension to Bonar Bridge (latterly Ardgay) was authorised as the Ross-shire Extension Act on 11 May 1863, opening to Meikle Ferry on 1 June 1864 and Bonar Bridge on 1 October 1864.
Closed stations
The former terminus at Meikle Ferry on the southern side of the Dornoch Firth is today the Dornoch Bridge Inn. Here mail was transferred from the train to cross the ferry (today replaced by Dornoch Firth Bridge) to continue its journey northwards to Sutherland, Caithness and the Orkney and Shetland Islands. It remained a station for only three years in the mid-1860s until the line was completed to Golspie. Beyond Meikle Ferry, the closed station at Edderton still exists as a private house next to the Balblair Distillery.
The route today
The line is still open, being part of the Far North Line.