Inverness and Perth Junction Railway

Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
Overview
Locale	Scotland
Dates of operation	1 June 1863–1 February 1865
Successor	Highland Railway
Technical
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Route map
	Inverness and Aberdeen
	Junction Railway

The Inverness and Perth Junction Railway was built to link the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway at Forres and Perth and Dunkeld Railway, ultimately absorbing the latter.

History

A view of the Broomhill platform and station buildings looking towards Boat of Garten.

The Act of Parliament was passed on 22 July 1861,[1] with the line being opened between Dunkeld and Pitlochry on 1 June 1863,[2] between Forres and Aviemore on 3 August 1863[3] and the final section to Aviemore and Pitlochry on 9 September 1863.[4] The opening offered a great saving of time and money in travelling to and from the north of Scotland, with journey times from Inverness to Perth in 6 hours, Edinburgh or Glasgow in 8½ hours, and London in 18 hours without a change of carriage.[4]

The railway required 8 viaducts, 126 bridges over rivers and streams and 119 over roads. Constructions included 8,100 yards (7,400 m) of drains, 1,650 yards (1,510 m) of flood water walling, 305,000 cubic yards (233,000 m³) of rock cutting and 3,400,000 cubic yards (2,600,000 m³) of earthworks.[5]

In the last week of independent operation the traffic for the week ending 29 January 1865 was 2,367 passengers. Weekly revenue was £1,314 12s 10d.[6] (equivalent to £126,600 in 2019).[7] It combined with the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway to form the Highland Railway on 1 February 1865.

Initially the only double track was between Inverness and Dalcross and also Stanley Junction and Perth. In the 1890s the single line working was improved with the replacement of telegraphing orders to trains along the line with staff and tablet control instruments. This was later upgraded to automatic token-exchange apparatus. However, the main improvement came with the doubling of sections of line, beginning with Blair Atholl to Dalnacardoch (8.25 miles (13.28 km)) in 1900, extended to Druimuachdar (8.5 miles (13.7 km)) in 1901 and Dalwhinnie (5.5 miles (8.9 km)) in 1909.[5]

The line became part of the LMS in 1923.

Aberfeldy Branch

The Aberfeldy Branch was authorised under the original Act of Parliament, being opened on 3 July 1865, just after the formation of the Highland Railway.

Closure

The Aberfeldy Branch was closed on 3 May 1965, just short of its centenary. The line between Forres and Aviemore closed on 18 October 1965.

Strathspey Railway

Following closure of the section north of Aviemore, there were moves to re-open the line between Aviemore and Grantown-on-Spey West. The Strathspey Railway has progressively reopened the line north from Aviemore, with the current terminus at Broomhill. They hope to reach Grantown-on-Spey within the next few years; however, the impressive 1897 station at Grantown-on-Spey (West) was demolished in the early 1980s and a new terminus will be built on a greenfield site 3/4 track-mile to the north.

Connections to other lines

Current operations

The line remains open as of August 2016 as part of the Highland Main Line between Dunkeld & Birnam and Aviemore operated by Abellio ScotRail, and as part of the restored Strathspey Railway between Aviemore and Broomhill.

References

"Imperial Parliament. House of Lords- Monday. Royal Assent". London Evening Standard. England. 23 July 1861. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
"Inverness and Perth Junction Railway. Opening of the Line from Dunkeld to Pitlochry". Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser. Scotland. 2 June 1863. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
"Inverness and Perth Junction Railway. Opening of the Line from Forres to Aviemore". Elgin Courier. Scotland. 7 August 1863. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
"Inverness and Perth Junction Railway. Opening of the Line Throughout". Elgin Courier. Scotland. 11 September 1863. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
Thomas, John; Turnock, David (1989). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. Volume 15 North of Scotland. David St John Thomas. p. 236. ISBN 0946537038.
"Inverness and Perth Junction Railway". Elgin Courier. Scotland. 10 February 1865. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.
UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.

Awdry, Christopher (1990). Encyclopaedia of British Railway Companies. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 1-8526-0049-7. OCLC 19514063. CN 8983.
Butt, R. V. J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: details every public and private passenger station, halt, platform and stopping place, past and present (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7. OCLC 60251199.
Jowett, Alan (March 1989). Jowett's Railway Atlas of Great Britain and Ireland: From Pre-Grouping to the Present Day (1st ed.). Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85260-086-0. OCLC 22311137.
RAILSCOT on Inverness and Perth Junction Railway
RAILSCOT on Aberfeldy Branch of the Highland Railway

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[1] "Imperial Parliament. House of Lords- Monday. Royal Assent". London Evening Standard. England. 23 July 1861. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[2] "Inverness and Perth Junction Railway. Opening of the Line from Dunkeld to Pitlochry". Banffshire Journal and General Advertiser. Scotland. 2 June 1863. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[3] "Inverness and Perth Junction Railway. Opening of the Line from Forres to Aviemore". Elgin Courier. Scotland. 7 August 1863. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[EC11091863-4] "Inverness and Perth Junction Railway. Opening of the Line Throughout". Elgin Courier. Scotland. 11 September 1863. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[Thomas-5] Thomas, John; Turnock, David (1989). A Regional History of the Railways of Great Britain. Volume 15 North of Scotland. David St John Thomas. p. 236. ISBN 0946537038.

[6] "Inverness and Perth Junction Railway". Elgin Courier. Scotland. 10 February 1865. Retrieved 24 August 2020 – via British Newspaper Archive.

[inflation-UK-7] UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 2 February 2020.

Historical Scottish railway companies
Primary companies	Caledonian Railway Glasgow and South Western Railway Great North of Scotland Railway Highland Railway North British Railway
Caledonian Railway	Aberdeen Railway Alloa Railway Alyth Arbroath and Forfar Busby Railway Cathcart District Clydesdale Junction Crieff Junction Crieff and Comrie Crieff and Methven Junction Dumfries, Lochmaben and Lockerbie Dunblane, Doune and Callander Dundee and Perth Dundee and Perth and Aberdeen Forfar and Brechin General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour Garnkirk and Glasgow Glasgow Central Railway Glasgow, Paisley and Greenock Greenock and Wemyss Bay Hamilton and Strathaven Lanarkshire and Ayrshire Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Leadhills and Wanlockhead Lesmahagow Railway Lochearnhead, St Fillans and Comrie Paisley and Barrhead District Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Polloc and Govan Rutherglen and Coatbridge Scottish Central Scottish Midland Junction Scottish North Eastern Solway Junction Symington, Biggar and Broughton Talla Railway Wishaw and Coltness Lines built by the Caledonian Railway Balerno line CR Cleland and Midcalder CR Main Line CR Douglas Branch CR Hamilton Branch CR Hamiltonhill Branch CR The Switchback Independent lines worked by the Caledonian Railway Callander and Oban Killin Railway
Glasgow and South Western Railway	Ardrossan Railway Ardrossan and Johnstone Ayr and Dalmellington Ayr and Maybole Junction Ayr to Mauchline Ayrshire and Wigtownshire Barrhead Branch Bridge of Weir Railway Cairn Valley Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Castle Douglas and Dumfries Dalry and North Johnstone Darvel Branch Girvan and Portpatrick Junction Glasgow, Dumfries and Carlisle Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Greenock and Ayrshire Kilmarnock and Troon Largs Branch Maidens and Dunure Maybole and Girvan Paisley and Renfrew Paisley Canal Line
Great North of Scotland Railway	Aberdeen and Turriff Aboyne and Braemar Alford Valley Banff, Macduff and Turriff Junction Banff, Portsoy and Strathisla Boddam Branch Deeside Denburn Valley Formartine and Buchan Inverury and Old Meldrum Junction Keith and Dufftown Moray Coast Morayshire St Combs Light Railway Strathspey Railway
Highland Railway	Buckie and Portessie Branch Dingwall and Skye Duke of Sutherland Findhorn Railway Fortrose Branch Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Inverness and Aviemore Direct Inverness and Nairn Inverness and Perth Junction Inverness and Ross-shire Kyle of Lochalsh Extension Perth and Dunkeld Sutherland and Caithness Sutherland Railway Independent lines worked by the Highland Railway Dornoch Light Railway Wick and Lybster Light Railway
North British Railway	Aberlady, Gullane and North Berwick Anstruther and St Andrews Railway Ballochney Bathgate and Coatbridge Blane Valley Border Counties Railway Border Union Railway Campsie Branch Carlisle and Silloth Bay Railway and Dock Company Charlestown Railway and Harbour Company Coatbridge Branch Devon Valley Railway Dunfermline and Queensferry East of Fife Railway Edinburgh and Bathgate Edinburgh and Dalkeith Edinburgh and Glasgow Edinburgh and Hawick Edinburgh, Leith and Newhaven Railway Edinburgh, Loanhead and Roslin Railway Edinburgh and Northern Edinburgh Suburban and Southside Junction Esk Valley Eyemouth Railway Fife and Kinross Railway Forth and Clyde Junction Gifford and Garvald Glasgow, Bothwell, Hamilton and Coatbridge Glasgow City and District Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Kelvin Valley Railway Kincardine Line Kinross-shire Railway Kirkcaldy and District Railway Leadburn, Linton and Dolphinton Leven Railway Leven and East of Fife Railway Macmerry Branch Monkland and Kirkintilloch Monkland Railways Montrose and Bervie Mallaig Extension Newburgh and North Fife Railway (worked by NBR) Newport Railway North Berwick Branch North British, Arbroath and Montrose Peebles Railway The St. Andrews Railway Stirling and Dunfermline Strathendrick and Aberfoyle Slamannan Slamannan and Borrowstounness Wemyss and Buckhaven Railway West Highland Railway West of Fife Mineral Railway Wilsontown, Morningside and Coltness
Joint lines	Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction City Union Dundee and Arbroath Darvel and Strathaven Glasgow and Paisley Joint Glasgow and Renfrew District Glasgow, Barrhead and Kilmarnock Joint Kilsyth and Bonnybridge Portpatrick and Wigtownshire Joint
Other lines	Brechin and Edzell District Campbeltown and Machrihanish Light Railway Cromarty and Dingwall Light Railway Dundee and Arbroath Hagdale Chromate Railway Invergarry and Fort Augustus Lealt Valley Diatomite Railway Lochaber Narrow Gauge Perth, Almond Valley and Methven Rothesay and Ettrick Bay Light Railway Skye Marble Railway Tranent to Cockenzie Waggonway