Muir of Ord railway station

Railway station in Highland, Scotland

Muir of Ord

Scottish Gaelic: Am Blàr Dubh[1]

The view south from the station in 2015

General information
Location| Muir of Ord, Highland
Scotland
Coordinates| 57°31′03″N 4°27′37″W﻿ / ﻿57.5175°N 4.4602°W﻿ / 57.5175; -4.4602
Grid reference| NH527501
Managed by| ScotRail
Platforms| 2
Other information
Station code| MOO[2]
History
Original company| Inverness and Ross-shire Railway
Pre-grouping| Highland Railway
Post-grouping| LMS
Key dates
11 June 1862| Opened[3]
13 June 1960| Closed
4 October 1976| Reopened
Passengers
2018/19|  67,554
2019/20|  70,850
2020/21|  13,556
2021/22|  41,230
2022/23|  47,688

Notes

Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Muir of Ord railway station is a railway station on the Kyle of Lochalsh Line and the Far North Line, serving the village of Muir of Ord in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is 13 miles 4 chains (13.05 mi; 21.0 km) from Inverness, between Beauly and Conon Bridge, and is the location of the sole remaining passing loop on the single line between Dingwall and Inverness.[4]

## History

[edit]

The Lochalsh Highlander, seen at Muir of Ord in 2013

Muir of Ord railway station was once the junction of a branch railway to Fortrose. The station building and platform canopy were erected in 1894,[5] 32 years after the station itself opened.[6] Passenger services on the branch ceased on 1 October 1951, but the branch remained open for freight until 13 June 1960. Muir of Ord station was closed on 13 June 1960 but reopened in 1976, on 4 October.[6]

After the railway bridge across the River Ness washed away in February 1989, isolating the entire network north of Inverness, Muir of Ord was chosen as the location for a temporary depot, from which the stranded rolling stock could operate the service to the highland communities which depended on the line.[7]

In November 2015, work commenced on a new A862 road bridge at the northern end of the station.[8]

## Facilities

[edit]

Both platforms have modern waiting shelters and benches, with step-free access. There is a car park and bike racks adjacent to platform 1, along with a help point near to the entrance from the car park.[9] As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.

## Platform layout

[edit]

The station has a passing loop 32 chains (700 yd; 640 m) long, flanked by two platforms which can each accommodate a ten-coach train.[10]

## Passenger volume

[edit]

Passenger Volume at Muir of Ord[11] | 2002–03  | 2004–05  | 2005–06  | 2006–07  | 2007–08  | 2008–09  | 2009–10  | 2010–11  | 2011–12  | 2012–13  | 2013–14  | 2014–15  | 2015–16  | 2016–17  | 2017–18  | 2018–19  | 2019–20  | 2020–21  | 2021–22  | 2022–23

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Entries and exits  | 22,055  | 24,365  | 24,783  | 32,573  | 39,200  | 51,104  | 57,396  | 62,428  | 74,462  | 74,064  | 72,832  | 66,576  | 66,480  | 64,480  | 64,820  | 67,554  | 70,850  | 13,556  | 41,230  | 47,688

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

## Services

[edit]

A First ScotRail service approaching Muir of Ord with a service bound for Inverness

As of the December 2021 timetable, on weekdays and Saturdays, the station sees 12 trains northbound (4 to Wick via Thurso, 4 to Kyle of Lochalsh, 1 to Dingwall, 1 to Invergordon, 1 to Ardgay and 1 to Tain), and 14 trains southbound to Inverness. On Sundays, the station sees 6 trains northbound (1 to Wick, 1 to Kyle of Lochalsh, 1 to Invergordon and 3 to Tain), and 6 trains southbound.[12]

Preceding station  |  National Rail | Following station

|
|

Beauly or
Inverness |  | ScotRail
Far North Line
Kyle of Lochalsh Line |  | Conon Bridge
or Dingwall
| Historical railways |
Beauly |  | Highland Railway
Inverness and Ross-shire Railway

|  | Conon
Terminus |  | Highland Railway
Fortrose Branch

|  | Redcastle

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Brailsford 2017, Gaelic/English Station Index.
2. ^ Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
3. ^ Butt (1995)
4. ^ Bridge, Mike, ed. (2017). TRACKatlas of Mainland Britain: A Comprehensive Geographic Atlas Showing the Rail Network of Great Britain (3rd ed.). Sheffield: Platform 5 Publishing Ltd. p. 99\. ISBN 978-1909431-26-3.
5. ^ The Buildings of Scotland, Highland and Islands. John Gifford. Yale University Press. 1992. ISBN 0-300-09625-9
6. ^ a b Quick 2022, p. 327.
7. ^ Caton, Peter (2018). Remote Stations. Leicestershire: Matador. p. 242\. ISBN 978-1-78901-408-2.
8. ^ Rooney, Richard (14 October 2015). "Work to start next month on vital Highland bridge replacement". Press and Journal. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
9. ^ "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
10. ^ Brailsford 2017, map 18C.
11. ^ "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 26 December 2023.
12. ^ eNRT December 2021 Edition, Table 219

## Bibliography

[edit]

* Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-9-8.
* Butt, R. V. J. (October 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. OL 11956311M.
* 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.
* Jowett, Alan (2000). Jowett's Nationalised Railway Atlas (1st ed.). Penryn, Cornwall: Atlantic Transport Publishers. ISBN 978-0-906899-99-1. OCLC 228266687.
* Quick, Michael (2022). Railway Passenger Stations in Great Britain: A Chronology (PDF) (5th ed.). London: Railway and Canal Historical Society.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Muir of Ord railway station.

* Train times and station information for Muir of Ord railway station from National Rail

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Lothian|

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* Wester Hailes

South Scotland
(and England)|

* Annan
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West Scotland|

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North East Scotland|

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Highlands|

* Achanalt
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* Scotscalder
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