Proposed new Far North Line timetable?

[Ianno87]

Transport Scotland could invest in a fleet of high quality coaches for end-to-end journeys to free up train resources to concentrate south of Helmsdale.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Transport Scotland could invest in a fleet of high quality coaches for end-to-end journeys to free up train resources to concentrate south of Helmsdale.

They could, but do you think they will? I think I know the answer to that. It's about as remunerative as a coach service as it is as a railway, I suspect.

Anyway, a bus is still a bus, even if it's a fancy one. I would rather do a 4 hour journey on a 150 (I almost wrote Pacer, but let's not be silly ) than on a fancy coach.

 

[Ianno87]

They could, but do you think they will? I think I know the answer to that. It's about as remunerative as a coach service as it is as a railway, I suspect.

Anyway, a bus is still a bus, even if it's a fancy one. I would rather do a 4 hour journey on a 150 (I almost wrote Pacer, but let's not be silly ) than on a fancy coach.

Last time I went, I did coach north (as it fills the mid-morning gap between the early and lunchtime trains) and train back, and you get very, very different scenery on each.

Ideally you'd have coach/train tickets interchangable on each.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Last time I went, I did coach north (as it fills the mid-morning gap between the early and lunchtime trains) and train back, and you get very, very different scenery on each.

Ideally you'd have coach/train tickets interchangable on each.

I have explored that option in the past.

Unfortunately, the X98/99 has been cut back further. Just two round trips, based at the northern end, arriving into Inverness at 0958 and 1248, returning north at 1415 and 1725. Plus a couple of student timed journeys, from Brora in the morning, to Helmsdale in the evening.

If the train timetable is to be adjusted in any way, I do hope it remains possible to do the whole line as a day trip, from Inverness, starting out at a reasonable time. I don't understand what the chart is trying to communicate as there is no key, are they proposing six journeys in total between Helmsdale and Wick?

 

[tbtc]

The most recent figures on wiki for stations north of Helmsdale are as follows:

• Kildonan: 168
• Kinbrace: 510
• Forsinard: 2,530
• Altnabreac: 408
• Scotscalder: 238
• Georgemas: 1,576
• Thurso: 39,974
• Wick: 17,890

= 63,294 passenger per annum = roughly 175 passengers a day = 88 departing passenger a day (spread between eight stations, spread between four departures a day)?

So even if we take the assumption that each and every one of those passengers from the eight stations north of Helmsdale is travelling south (to Helmsdale, Inverness, wherever) and there are *no* people doing local journeys like Thurso to Wick, that's still an average passenger load that could be accommodated by a single 153 a day (with a handful of people standing, sure, but 88 passengers per day are going to be fairly thinly spread over four trains a day - you'd have spare seats on an Optare Solo!

Given that the first train south of the day will be the main one for people in Caithness spending time in Inverness/ beyond... and there's fairly obvious times for Inverness day trippers ... the other services per day must be at such low levels of usage that it'd be more environmentally friendly to have all the passengers driving cars instead.

A minor detail, perhaps, but the Far North Line is of course the principal return route for Land's End—John O'Groats cyclists, and at many times of year the bike spaces fill up quickly. Two through journeys won't be enough, unless ScotRail convert a few more 153s to put on the back

Fair point, but how many resources should the railway be throwing at an already heavily subsidised line for the sake of people making southbound (only) journeys, primarily during a fairly short window of the year? (from what I know, this is something confined to the lighter/warmer months, the school summer holidays etc)

It's a bit like how many resources we should throw at the route for the people who sneer at coach services and will only take a train with swanky seats? I'd prefer a train to a coach but there's surely some kind of trade off.

And, given the finite number of units available, how many passengers have to stand on something like the Fife Circle so that we can have empty seats from Inverness to Wick to come back with a knackered cyclist on them?

 

[LSWR Cavalier]

I should have thought that the Scottish government would want to financially help 'remote' places such as Wick, Stranraer &c

 

[Ianno87]

I should have thought that the Scottish government would want to financially help 'remote' places such as Wick, Stranraer &c

Do they subsidise any of the air routes serving Wick (e.g. to/from Edinburgh)?

Edit: I see that Wick no longer has any commercial flights to anywhere.

 

[37424]

But yet Thurso and Wick have quite high passenger number for the route and I'm guessing the majority of those go through to Inverness but that service is reduced to 2 trains a day. While the stations between Helmsdale and Lairg get a better suited timetable but their passenger number overall are about half those of Thurso, so splitting those trains for that accommodation doesn't make a lot of sense to me, if your a commuter from Golspie then your best option if you have a car is to drive to Tain and catch a train from there, as the train takes nearly an hour to get from Golspie to Tain as opposed to 22 mins by Car. By all means improve the south end service but I think you need to run at least 3 through services to Thurso and Wick.

 

[Jan Mayen]

Is there an online track diagram for the Far North Line? I'm curious as to the location of passing loops and sidings.

 

[JonathanH]

Is there an online track diagram for the Far North Line? I'm curious as to the location of passing loops and sidings.

According to https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/more-rail-track-between-inverness-and-beauly there are loops at Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Invergordon, Tain, Ardgay, Lairg, Rogart, Brora, Helmsdale, and Forsinard.

A bit here from 2009 describes the distance between loops and some of the problems with timetabling.

The Friends of the Far North Line - Strengthening the Far North Line

fofnl.org.uk

Strengthening the Far North Line
The Far North Line (FNL) from Inverness to Thurso and Wick (with a branch from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh) has seen significant passenger growth in the four years from 2005. The Rail Users Group, Friends of the Far North Line, wishes to see certain infrastructure improvements to improve reliability and maintain passenger confidence and convenience. This paper considers the requirement for a passing loop between Lentran and Clunes some 7 miles out from Inverness.

The aim is to reinstate a 1.75 mile dynamic crossing loop on a single line currently operating at capacity at busy times of the day.

This will greatly improve the robustness of services north of Inverness.
It will allow expansion of services particularly at commuting times.
It will help to ease the serious road congestion and parking problems which have become acute in recent years.
It will make good sense to tie this in with a signalling upgrade which is now due.
End to end timings between Inverness and Wick have been extended by some 25 minutes since June 2005 making rail services much less competitive with road journeys. On a 175 mile railway with few passing loops this major deceleration has had the effect of making it much more difficult to dovetail services to fit in with onward rail connections at Inverness and with boat connections at Thurso for Scrabster and Orkney. The on-time running of services is crucial to facilitating the crossing of trains at these infrequent loops. Indeed, it can be shown that, in the current May 2009 timetable, late running of the 07.06 from Glasgow to Inverness can affect crucial crossings on FNL trains at Invergordon, Forsinard and Ardgay such that the delays can feed all the way through the day to affect the 16.56 Inverness - Edinburgh that same evening.

The longest section between loops is the 35 minutes taken to cover the single line between Helmsdale and Forsinard. More crucially, the heaviest trafficked section is the 20 minutes of single line between Inverness and Muir of Ord. This carries up to 14 daily passenger services each way. They are 4 to Wick, 4 to Kyle and another 4 northbound and 6 southbound local Invernet services terminating at Dingwall, Invergordon, Tain or Ardgay. On Friday and Saturday nights there is an additional Tain terminator. There are also paths for freight and for charter trains.

One mile out from Inverness is the Clachnaharry swing bridge over the Caledonian Canal with a speed restriction of 10 mph. The following 6 miles to Clunes (for Kirkhill) used to be double track until singled in the 1960s. Sadly, a new bridge was built in the 1970s to carry the line over the old A9 (now the A862) 5.25 miles out at Phopachy and this was only made wide enough for a single track. While it is much easier to reinstate loops or double track where a double track formation still exists, this narrow bridge now presents a costly impediment.

For that reason, FoFNL is suggesting that the replacement loop should extend only for the 1.75 miles from Lentran to Clunes. This is conveniently in the middle of the time frame from Inverness to Muir given the speed constraints of the Clachnaharry swing bridge and of the Beauly station stop. Helpfully, Clunes currently has some signalling infrastructure as it is an Intermediate Block Post.

The convenience of a loop on this section is exemplified by comparison with the Highland Main Line (HML). Here there are 7 mile long double track sections at each end from Inverness to Culloden Moor and from Perth to Stanley. They give much greater flexibility and robustness to the timetable, allowing crossings to be scheduled on those sections. Also, they are particularly important at times of late running because they allow an outgoing service to start out without having to wait for the late incoming service to reach the terminus. Outgoing passengers are far less likely to be inconvenienced by late running and missed connections further on in their journey.

These HML double track sections permit fast running over their seven mile lengths. In the case of the FNL, the distance to the Muir is 12.75 miles and includes the 10 mph permanent speed restriction over the canal swing bridge at Clachnaharry and a significantly lower line speed throughout. Timings are generally of 20 minutes to cover that section inclusive of the Beauly stop. Thus, there can be a very long delay for one of the trains when out of course running occurs. In extremis this can be a 40 minutes delay.

To avoid further delays to other trains at subsequent crossing points (which can put the whole timetable out of joint for the rest of the day) it is common to let the outgoing service from Inverness have priority. This causes major inconvenience to southbound passengers seeking to connect with Perth (for Edinburgh or Glasgow) or Aberdeen trains at Inverness. Connections are often lost and other connections further down the line eg at Edinburgh are lost also.

One example will suffice. If the 06.20 from Wick (WCK), due to arrive in Inverness(INV) at 10.35, is late it would potentially delay the 10.38 INV-WCK. If the 06.20 is more than 10 minutes late it is usually held at Muir of Ord (MOO) or Dingwall (DIN) and the 10.38 is allowed to proceed. The problem continues because once the 10.38 has cleared MOO and the line to Inverness is free, the 11.01 INV-KYL (Kyle) is ready to start. Therefore, the unlucky 06.20 is often held at MOO until 11.20 and will be more than an hour late arriving in Inverness, all because it was 10 minutes or more late north of MOO.

This example graphically illustrates the inflexibility of that long section from INV-MOO. With a loop between Lentran and Clunes, a more than 10 to 20 minutes lateness by the 06.20 from Wick need only result in a 20 minute late arrival in Inverness and no knock on delay to the 11.01 train to Kyle. Connecting passengers should be able to catch the 10.58 to Aberdeen and just might catch the 10.47 to Edinburgh if it could be held by 10 minutes.

The next train to Edinburgh and Glasgow is not until 12.47. Thus a 10 minute plus delay on the FNL can currently result in a delay of 2 hours in reaching stations south of Inverness. What was already an 8 hour journey from Wick to Edinburgh becomes a 10 hour journey. This is not the sort of scenario which would encourage passengers to trust the train ever again!

For this reason, ScotRail will on occasion transport delayed passengers onwards by taxi or bus at considerable extra expense. It happens also in the opposite direction. Because of the critical requirement to reach scheduled crossing loops on time, the northbound trains will often leave Inverness on time even when a late running connecting train from the Perth or Aberdeen lines is only a few minutes away. Again, taxis or buses are used to convey passengers onwards to Kyle and Wick line stations. In the case of the latter, because of the more direct route by road, it is sometimes possible to catch up with the Wick trains at Invergordon or Golspie.

The "flighting" of departures northbound from Inverness which we saw at 10.38 and 11.01 happens again with the 13.32 to Kyle and the 13.59 to Wick in order to provide connections from the south. These connection times are very tight, namely 9 minutes in to the 10.38 and only 5 minutes in to the 13.32. Again due to the long section from Inverness to Muir of Ord, the 13.32 and the 13.59 have to depart on time, otherwise the 12.03 from Kyle, which is crossed at Dingwall and Muir of Ord respectively, would be delayed and its passengers might lose their 14 minute connection at Inverness in to the 14.51 to Glasgow.

The long single line sections of 12,12,13,13,24,21 and 14 miles on the FNL and of 12,16,18 and 18 miles on the Kyle line exert a major constraint, very seriously minimising the flexibility of operating these lines north and west of Dingwall. The section between Inverness and Dingwall is crucial and common to both. It is operating at capacity at certain times of day.

Commuter pressures on the A9 Kessock Bridge suggest that there is further scope for more services to and from Inverness at peak periods. New freight prospects are encouraging and the scenic nature of the two lines is increasingly attractive to charter operators. The possibility of a regular steam train is currently being investigated. It can be seen that the line has potential for more services in the future.

Let us take just one example, that of further increasing the number of commuter trains on weekday mornings and evenings. Since December 2008 there have been Inverness arrivals at 07.48, 08.12 and 08.53. The next arrival is at 10.35. Without a loop at Lentran/Clunes the next arrival after 08.53 could not be until 09.40 given the present timetable, but it would be nearly impossible to path the outward working.

There is a good case for a commuter train in the opposite direction between Inverness and Dingwall. Many Inverness folk work in Dingwall, not least since Highlands and Islands Enterprise decentralised/outstationed many staff to Dingwall. With a Lentran/Clunes loop, it would be possible to run a service at 07.50 to Dingwall returning at 08.50 and arriving in Inverness at 09.20, thus serving the market in both directions. Throughout the day, having this extra loop would allow further additional trains to run to and from Easter Ross in response to the congestion pressures on the A9 Kessock road bridge.

The evening commuter trains back north from Inverness are restricted to only two departures at 17.15 and 17.52 partly because there is a flight of incoming services between 16.28 and 17.09 occupying the long Muir of Ord to Inverness section. The previous northbound train leaves at 14.39 and it would certainly be useful to have one for the educational and shoppers' markets leaving around 16.00. A later service around 18.30 would also be attractive as there is currently a three hour gap until 21.09.

The case for the Lentran to Clunes loop is based on firstly reducing the operating constraints caused by this congested long single track section which occurs at the start of the line. The second issue is in providing the scope for more trains to be run both at peak times and to fill the long gaps at other times of the day.

The FNL provides a valuable alternative to the private car in a fast expanding area of Scotland where road congestion on the approaches to and parking congestion within Inverness are becoming seriously damaging to the local economy.

The double track formation is already there and the signalling system is due for early replacement. It would be sensible to tackle the two together and extend conventional colour light signalling from Clachnaharry out to Dingwall. A consultant's report on this signalling solution has recently been completed for Hitrans, the regional transport agency. The cases for both the Lentran loop and for replacement signalling were strongly argued in the Room for Growth report in 2004 and new signalling was seen as the key to achieving the reinstated loop.

During a period of recession it is important not to curtail investment for the future and FoFNL hopes that the Lentran to Clunes loop project may be progressed during Control Period 5. Our 175 mile line covers the same distance as from London to Manchester and its single track nature imposes severe constraints on capacity and operating flexibility. We think this proposed loop reinstatement would make a big improvement.

FoFNL is very keen to work with Government Ministers, Transport Scotland, Network Rail and ScotRail to achieve the reinstatement of a loop between Lentran and Clunes as an essential tool to permit further growth of services on the Far North Line to help reduce congestion and environmental damage in and north of Inverness.

© FoFNL
June 2009

 

[4-SUB 4732]

But yet Thurso and Wick have quite high passenger number for the route and I'm guessing the majority of those go through to Inverness but that service is reduced to 2 trains a day. While the stations between Helmsdale and Lairg get a better suited timetable but their passenger number overall are about half those of Thurso, so splitting those trains for that accommodation doesn't make a lot of sense to me, if your a commuter from Golspie then your best option if you have a car is to drive to Tain and catch a train from there, as the train takes nearly an hour to get from Golspie to Tain as opposed to 22 mins by Car. By all means improve the south end service but I think you need to run at least 3 through services the Thurso and Wick.

I don't think it says reduced to two trains a day, just two through trains (?) of which both will stop at less places to improve the journey times. One assumes these will be morning services to connect at Inverness with trains to Glasgow / Edinburgh. The same will probably work in return.

The other two services a day, it would seem, will go to Helmsdale and connect. This probably makes things far better and maybe even cheaper for crew resourcing.

 

[37424]

I don't think it says reduced to two trains a day, just two through trains (?) of which both will stop at less places to improve the journey times. One assumes these will be morning services to connect at Inverness with trains to Glasgow / Edinburgh. The same will probably work in return.

The other two services a day, it would seem, will go to Helmsdale and connect. This probably makes things far better and maybe even cheaper for crew resourcing.

It doesnt say they will connect and if they do why not simply run them as through trains? which possibly says at least some of them wont connect, in which case your probably running a virtually empty train except maybe between Wick and Thurso given the passenger numbers at those intermediate stations are so low.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

It doesnt say they will connect and if they do why not simply run them as through trains? which possibly says at least some of them wont connect, in which case your probably running a virtually empty train except maybe between Wick and Thurso given the passenger numbers at those intermediate stations are so low.

I can't for the life of me imagine they won't connect, but what is likely is a Wick driver (can't remember if they are Wick or Thurso) will go to Helmsdale then drive back; with an Inverness driver at Helmsdale also going back. Makes sense to connect as the arrival from Inverness and Helmsdale at a similar time will result in a similar departure time back from whence they came. It must be resource-driven.

 

[Journeyman]

Well, quite. The practical difference between a 4 hour journey and a 5 hour journey is minimal, really - either of them are "travelling for most of the day". So you might as well have one of the well-appointed Grammer-seated Inverness 158s rather than a manky bus. And "manky bus" seems a fair description based on what the coach was like when I saw it last year, it was something NatEx would have retired 10 years ago.

Very much agree - the extra cost and longer journey is worth it for the far higher level of comfort. Spreading out with something to eat and drink, a book and a good view is a very nice way to pass the time in that neck of the woods.

It all depends on your value of time and money, I guess, and of course, if you have a free bus pass, that will strongly influence your decision.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I can't for the life of me imagine they won't connect, but what is likely is a Wick driver (can't remember if they are Wick or Thurso) will go to Helmsdale then drive back; with an Inverness driver at Helmsdale also going back. Makes sense to connect as the arrival from Inverness and Helmsdale at a similar time will result in a similar departure time back from whence they came. It must be resource-driven.

I can't imagine that they will connect, because if they did why wouldn't you just swap the crews over and have the unit operate through?

 

[class26]

Just to add a little to the discussion in August 2016 I took the train from Lairg (midday departure) to Wick and returned (four oclock departure) the same day. I was the ONLY passenger between Thurso and Lairg to get on or off those two services. Now obviously this is just a snap shot on the day but I would estimate that on departure from Thurso there were approx 20 pax so that means 19 were going past Lairg ie most likely to Inverness. Based on my observations the services only going as far as Helmsdale will carry only fresh air.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

I can't imagine that they will connect, because if they did why wouldn't you just swap the crews over and have the unit operate through?

Potentially because in the way described, they can sacrifice the connection if one half of it runs late?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Just to add a little to the discussion in August 2016 I took the train from Lairg (midday departure) to Wick and returned (four oclock departure) the same day. I was the ONLY passenger between Thurso and Lairg to get on or off those two services. Now obviously this is just a snap shot on the day but I would estimate that on departure from Thurso there were approx 20 pax so that means 19 were going past Lairg ie most likely to Inverness. Based on my observations the services only going as far as Helmsdale will carry only fresh air.

If you were after getting most custom, you'd probably not do the Wick-Helmsdale services (instead have the "semifast" do the obscure stations on request twice a day) but rather have the unit spend most of the day doing Thurso-Wick and back.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

If you were after getting most custom, you'd probably not do the Wick-Helmsdale services (instead have the "semifast" do the obscure stations on request twice a day) but rather have the unit spend most of the day doing Thurso-Wick and back.

And one must hope that if the timetable is such that time allows for a couple of extra "shuttles", then it would.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Potentially because in the way described, they can sacrifice the connection if one half of it runs late?

Potentially, but then you're back to "nobody uses it because it's unreliable".

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Potentially, but then you're back to "nobody uses it because it's unreliable".

Well, not if the services that do go through are used by the bulk of the previously explained ~88 people a day each way will take the two through trains and that is when they are supposed to operate. Those through trains will probably have a bit of extra padding, too, to ensure reliability. The Helmsdale terminator / connector trains, one suggests, must be expected to be the absolute quietest?

 

[class26]

If you were after getting most custom, you'd probably not do the Wick-Helmsdale services (instead have the "semifast" do the obscure stations on request twice a day) but rather have the unit spend most of the day doing Thurso-Wick and back.

Isn`t Viva Rail trying to persuade Scotrail to take a 230 for this ?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Isn`t Viva Rail trying to persuade Scotrail to take a 230 for this ?

I'm not sure what the sense in that would be - it's surely the unit that goes from Inverness up to Wick in the morning doing a few shuttles before it goes back down south for bed?

I had heard the same, though I thought they were trying to persuade them to run that sort of line with 230s instead of 158s. I suspect anyone who has ever been near (a) a 230, and (b) the Far North Line, would suggest that they are probably best forgetting that idea

 

[class26]

I'm not sure what the sense in that would be - it's surely the unit that goes from Inverness up to Wick in the morning doing a few shuttles before it goes back down south for bed?

I had heard the same, though I thought they were trying to persuade them to run that sort of line with 230s instead of 158s. I suspect anyone who has ever been near (a) a 230, and (b) the Far North Line, would suggest that they are probably best forgetting that idea

There is a lot of the line, believe it or not that has speeds of 75mph and even one stretch of 90 mph so the 230 , with a max speed of 60 would not be suitable and would lengthen an already long journey even more. It would fit between Thurso and Wick , even though Georgemas - Wick has some 70 mph but that hardly matters on a local journey I guess?

I agree, a 230 is totally unsuitable for such a line but it seems Viva are trying anything anywhere !

 

[Jan Mayen]

M

According to https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/more-rail-track-between-inverness-and-beauly there are loops at Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Invergordon, Tain, Ardgay, Lairg, Rogart, Brora, Helmsdale, and Forsinard.

A bit here from 2009 describes the distance between loops and some of the problems with timetabling.

The Friends of the Far North Line - Strengthening the Far North Line

fofnl.org.uk

Many thanks. Hopefully Traksy will include the line one day. Or I'll go and visit, when Covids over.

 

[JonathanH]

Hopefully Traksy will include the line one day.

The line isn't conventionally signalled because the RETB system is used so it isn't ever really going to work on live signalling diagrams - ie you will only know that a train has permission to go into the next token section rather than where it actually is within that section.

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Fair point, but how many resources should the railway be throwing at an already heavily subsidised line for the sake of people making southbound (only) journeys, primarily during a fairly short window of the year? (from what I know, this is something confined to the lighter/warmer months, the school summer holidays etc)

Not going to argue with that. It's worth remembering, though, that the Far North Line is effectively a "social railway" (as you allude), and LEJOG cyclists are a significant contributor to the Thurso/Wick tourism economy.

 

[Ianno87]

There is a lot of the line, believe it or not that has speeds of 75mph and ever one stretch of 90 mph so the 230 , with a max speed of 60 would not be suitable and would lengthen an already long journey even more. It would fit between Thurso and Wick , even though Georgemas - Wick has some 70 mph but that hardly matters on a local journey I guess?

I agree, a 230 is totally unsuitable for such a line but it seems Viva are trying anything anywhere !

A 230 doing a Thurso-Wick shuttle wouldn't be a bad idea as there is a non-trivial local flow between the two.

 

[Jan Mayen]

The line isn't conventionally signalled because the RETB system is used so it isn't ever really going to work on live signalling diagrams - ie you will only know that a train has permission to go into the next token section rather than where it actually is within that section.

Fair enough. What I was hoping to find was a track diagram, not necessarily a live signalling diagram. The only places I'm aware of online which have them Traksy and Opentrain times.

 

[JonathanH]

Fair enough. What I was hoping to find was a track diagram, not necessarily a live signalling diagram. The only places I'm aware of online which have them Traksy and Opentrain times.

There is a track diagram on Railcam but it may just be for subscribers.

RC FarNorth Diagram