Georgemas Junction railway station

Georgemas Junction
265px Looking west towards Halkirk village and the line to Thurso (right)
Location
Place	Halkirk
Local authority	Highland
Coordinates
Grid reference	ND155592
Operations
Station code	GGJ
Managed by	Abellio ScotRail
Number of platforms	1
Live arrivals/departures, station information and onward connections from National Rail Enquiries
Annual rail passenger usage*
2002/03	1,129
2004/05	1,108
2005/06	1,018
2006/07	989
2007/08	893
2008/09	1,790
2009/10	1,482
2010/11	1,630
2011/12	1,684
2012/13	1,906
2013/14	1,652
2014/15	1,696
History
1874	Opened
National Rail – UK railway stations
* Annual estimated passenger usage based on sales of tickets in stated financial year(s) which end or originate at Georgemas Junction from Office of Rail and Road statistics. Methodology may vary year on year.
UK Railways portal

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 the United Kingdom.

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.

Operation

File:Georgemas Junction.jpg

Georgemas Junction station in 2007, before removal of the footbridge and second platform in connection with provision of a new freight handling facility

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 operated as single sets. On arrival at Georgemas Junction from Inverness trains reverse to reach Thurso, they then operate from Thurso back to Georgemas Junction 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 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. This has been used by trains taking nuclear material from Dounreay to Sellafield.

Preceding station	National Rail			Following station
Scotscalder or Forsinard		Abellio ScotRail Far North Line		Thurso
Wick
	Historical railways
Halkirk station closed; line open		Sutherland and Caithness Railway Highland Railway		Bower station closed; line open
Hoy station closed; line open

References

Sources

• ScotRail North Highlands Timetable