Station Facts Journey Game

[Class172]

Another brand new game for you all to play, with thanks to Backontrack for the original idea.

How to play

1. The member who ends the previous leg (unless open floor is called) states a starting and finishing station.
2. Players take turns to name consecutive stations along a route between the start and terminal stations
3. Each station must be accompanied by a fact about the area the station serves (or the station itself)

Notes

• Doubling back along a route within the same leg is not permitted
• Only lines served by passenger services may be traversed
• Stations cannot be skipped, every train is treated as a stopping service
• The route between the start and terminal stations may be as direct or circuitous as desired

Sample Play:

Excerpt from Dunbar to Skipton
Berwick-upon-on-Tweed sits at the northern end of Thomas Telford's Royal Border Bridge.
Chathill station serves the coastal villages of Bamburgh and Seahouses.
Alnmouth was once the junction for a branch line to the market town of Alnwick.
Acklington village has two prisons.
At Widdrington, the village restaurant serves a local delicacy: beer-battered black pudding.
Pegswood station was twice threatened with closure.

 

[backontrack]

Thanks folks!

Let's start at Thurso and head to Alloa.

-----

Thurso is the northernmost railway station in the UK.

 

[A Challenge]

Georgemas Junction used to be used to split trains to go to Thurso and Wick, however trains now reverse here to go to Thurso and then pass through again on their way to Wick

 

[backontrack]

Scotscalder has a well-preserved old station sign on its platform.

 

[backontrack]

Nudging this...

Altnabreac is one of the most isolated railway stations in the UK.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Forsinard has its station building used as an RSPB visitor centre for the Forsinard Flows National Nature Reserve.

 

[backontrack]

Kinbrace is a request stop.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Kildonan was the scene of a train derailment in 1884 in which a member of the footplate crew was killed.

 

[backontrack]

Helmsdale, in Gaelic, is Bun Ilidh (meaning foot of Strath Ullie).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Brora has one of the better Scottish non-league football teams and play in the Highland League.

 

[backontrack]

Dunrobin Castle was originally a private station built for the Duke of Sutherland.

 

[Springs Branch]

Golspie, when opened in 1868, had the local post office combined with the railway station.

 

[backontrack]

Rogart is home of Sleeperzzz, who run self-catered accommodation in refurbished old railway carriages.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Lairg, until 2009, provided an interchange point for the postbus services that served very rural communities.

 

[backontrack]

Invershin lies at the Sutherland end of the green Shin Viaduct.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Culrain was the scene of a battle in 1650.

 

[backontrack]

Ardgay station was originally called Bonar Bridge.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Tain is the oldest Royal Burgh in Scotland.

 

[backontrack]

Fearn was once proposed as the junction for a branch line to Portmahomack.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Invergordon was the scene of a mutiny by sailors of the Royal Navy in 1931.

 

[Springs Branch]

Alness had 1,504 entries and exits by season ticket holders in 2019/20 according to ORR statistics.
If these passengers travelled 5 days per week over a typical working year, that would equate to three full-time season-ticket commuters who use this station.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Dingwall is a Scottish category B listed station.

 

[Springs Branch]

Conon Bridge has an unusually short platform (15m in length) which requires the conductor to open just one door on trains which stop here.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Muir of Ord was also once served by a long-closed branch line.

 

[Springs Branch]

Beauly, according to some accounts, derives its name from an exclamation "Ç'est un beau lieu" by Mary Queen of Scots - who was apparently impressed by the locality.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Inverness....Said to be where some of the lady guests came from to attend the Ball of Kirriemuir.

 

[backontrack]

Carrbridge in Gaelic is 'Drochaid Chàrr'.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Aviemore is a Scottish category "A" listed railway station.

 

[Gloster]

Kingussie has a shinty club that was once, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the world’s most successful.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Newtonmore was the scene of a rail accident in 1894.