September reopening date for Altnabreac railway station in Caithness? Highland rail campaigners hopeful but ScotRail and Network Rail Scotland remain vague
Rail services to a temporarily closed Far North Line station could resume towards the end of this month or early September, campaigners believe.
The Friends of the Far North Line said it was “likely” that Altnabreac Station in Caithness will once again welcome passenger services by early September, subject to necessary works being completed by then.
Posting an update to their followers this week, the Friends of the Far North Line said: “The temporary closure of Altnabreac Station is likely to come to an end around the beginning of September. Work is underway to solve the problem of access to the station for rail staff.
“An alternate footpath access to the station platform will be constructed so that rail staff can access for works without having to use the public right of way adjacent to Station Cottage.
“Construction works will be completed by the end of August.
“Before the station can open the help point, and ideally the Customer Information Screen and waiting shelter, need to be replaced.
“Subject to material lead times and no further challenges on safely accessing the station by road, it is hoped trains will be calling there for early September.”
The station has been shut to passengers since November last year amid a dispute with homeowners next to the station over access to the site for rail workers.
In an update in late June, the Northern Times revealed that ScotRail believed “progress has been made to provide safe access for railway staff” and that survey works had already been carried out as a “first step” towards reopening the station to passenger services.
And the Friends’ latest update will raise further hopes of a resumption of services in the near future.
However, Altnabreac station is not yet showing as a ticket option on ScotRail’s website, and both the rail operator and Network Rail Scotland remained vague when directly asked for an update on any timescales earlier this week.
ScotRail directed the Northern Times to Network Rail for comment, even though any plans for the resumption of rail services would also be something they would be aware of.
And Network Rail Scotland were non-specific when directly asked if there was “some form of timescale or reopening date for the station”. A spokesperson for Network Rail Scotland merely responded: “We’re working with ScotRail to restore services as soon as possible”.
