Georgemas Junction railway station
Georgemas Junction 
|
|
|---|---|
Looking west towards Halkirk village and the line to Thurso (right)
|
|
| Location | |
| Place | Halkirk |
| Local authority | Highland |
| Coordinates | 58°30′49″N 3°27′06″W / 58.5135°N 3.4518°WCoordinates: 58°30′49″N 3°27′06″W / 58.5135°N 3.4518°W |
| 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* | |
| 2011/12 |
 1,684 |
| 2012/13 |
1,906 |
| 2013/14 |
 1,652 |
| 2014/15 |
1,696 |
| 2015/16 |
1,572 |
| History | |
| Original company | Sutherland and Caithness Railway |
| Pre-grouping | Highland Railway |
| Post-grouping |
London, Midland and Scottish Railway British Railways |
| 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. | |
 |
|
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 Scotland.
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.
At the end of February 1937 trains were stuck at Georgemas Junction because of heavy snow. A goods train from Inverness got stuck in a drift 9 feet (2.7 m) deep. An engine with a snow plough was also stuck at the same location.
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.
...
Wikipedia