Far North Line Clock Face Departures

[adrock1976]

Apologies for indulging in necromancy here, I am presently having a go at designing a North Highlands Taktplan (clock face departures).

Obviously, the big challenge is trying to fit the timetable around the passing points as there are a lot of single track sections.

So far, after starting again after being able to fit the trains passing at one loop but not the others without lengthy gaps, I have settled upon a baseline frequency of every 60 minutes Inverness to Tain (with some extensions to Thurso/Wick).

I have built the timetable around a Clachnaharry - Clunes double track section (Lentran Loop) which works fine as far as Dingwall, but I have come a bit stuck with trying to fit things in north of there. A clash I have is in between Alness and Invergordon, where as at present, trains cannot pass each other along that section as it is single track, and the running time between Dingwall and Invergorden is 17 minutes, and 19 minutes between Invergorden and Tain.

I have noticed that Alness station used to have 2 platforms, but I am unsure if it was a simple passing loop or whether there was double track between there and Invergordon. As the line between these two stations is more or less straight with a couple of gentle curves, I would recommend this section for double track so as to maintain timetable robustness as well as the Lentran Loop.

 

[najaB]

I have noticed that Alness station used to have 2 platforms, but I am unsure if it was a simple passing loop or whether there was double track between there and Invergordon.

It was single track as far as I know.

As the line between these two stations is more or less straight with a couple of gentle curves, I would recommend this section for double track so as to maintain timetable robustness as well as the Lentran Loop.

There's at least one road-over-rail bridge that would need rebuilding plus a significant section of embankment.

 

[backontrack]

There's at least one road-over-rail bridge that would need rebuilding plus a significant section of embankment.

Still doable and viable, though, which is slightly ironic considering that the same could not be said for vast sections of another lengthy single-track line in Scotland - one built over 150 years later...

But I digress.

I have noticed that Alness station used to have 2 platforms, but I am unsure if it was a simple passing loop or whether there was double track between there and Invergordon. As the line between these two stations is more or less straight with a couple of gentle curves, I would recommend this section for double track so as to maintain timetable robustness as well as the Lentran Loop.

When this issue comes up, the solution that is usually proposed is to include a loop at a reopened station at Evanton about halfway between Dingwall and Invergordon. Evanton's probably the next candidate for reopening on the line after Conon Bridge.

In any case - and I realise what you're arguing is different - I don't think the purpose of the Lentran Long Loop is to enable an hourly Tain service with clockface extensions to Thurwick, though that'd be a longer-term ambition which the Lentran Long Loop would make vastly easier (clockface timings requiring a loop at Kinbrace), but simply to vastly increase the reliability of the service.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

This only works, realistically, if arrivals from Glasgow and Edinburgh permit clockface departures.

 

[Esker-pades]

The best I can come up with is a three hour cycle:

10:00 - Wick (Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Tain, all stations)
10:57 - Tain (all stations)
11:57 - Tain (all stations)
12:30 - Kyle of Lochalsh (all stations)
13:00 - Wick (Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Tain, all stations)

This is all contingent on a loop just south of Kinbrace (as per plans).

I wrote quite a long piece on the Far North Line on my blog:
https://felixunstructured.weebly.co...e-far-north-line-problems-and-ways-to-improve

There are quite a few prospective timetables there:
One is the best that can be done given the current rolling stock and infrastructure constraints
One is for the current infrastructure but unlimited rolling stock
The final is with the Lentran Loop, a Wick shuttle and the Kinbrace South Loop

 

[backontrack]

The best I can come up with is a three hour cycle:

10:00 - Wick (Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Tain, all stations)
10:57 - Tain (all stations)
11:57 - Tain (all stations)
12:30 - Kyle of Lochalsh (all stations)
13:00 - Wick (Muir of Ord, Dingwall, Alness, Invergordon, Tain, all stations)

This is all contingent on a loop just south of Kinbrace (as per plans).

I wrote quite a long piece on the Far North Line on my blog:
https://felixunstructured.weebly.co...e-far-north-line-problems-and-ways-to-improve

There are quite a few prospective timetables there:
One is the best that can be done given the current rolling stock and infrastructure constraints
One is for the current infrastructure but unlimited rolling stock
The final is with the Lentran Loop, a Wick shuttle and the Kinbrace South Loop

That's excellent! Thanks for this, Felix.

I wonder how it could look with a loop at Evanton, and a station there. Dingwall to Invergordon is the next-longest bit without a loop after Helmsdale-Forsinard and Forsinard-Thurso/Wick, I think.

 

[adrock1976]

I've had a go at seeing what I could come up with, and basing it on the existing timetable, I have made some tweaks to get it to all fit in (which I have attached).

I settled upon having the trains departing Inverness and Dingwall on a broadly 20 minute pattern where possible (not all of the 20 minute intervals are used), with some odd 30 minute pattern here and there.

I have included the Lentran Loop between Clachnaharry and Clunes, the reopening of Evanton station (both platforms), loop at Kinbrace, the closure of Scotscalder station which will be substituted by Halkirk Bridge Street, and a direct curve west of Georgemas Junction from Halkirk to Thurso.

I have also got the trains coupling/uncoupling at Halkirk with portions to Thurso and Wick, and have a broadly 90 minute shuttle where possible between Wick and Thurso (operated by Class 230).

I have found that it is very tricky designing a desired timetable around the existing infrastructure, and trying to maintain the connection with the Stromness ferry as well. I did try to see if it was possible to fill in some of the big gaps during the day and I found that if there were no clashes in one direction, there would be in the other.

My first preference would be to build the Lentran Loop and reopen Evanston station to start off with, then as a second phase deal with Halkirk, the west curve to Thurso, and Kinbrace Loop. Possibly also bring the second platform at Golspie back into use so as to reduce the single track section between Brora and Lairg, which the reinstatement could be a first part of the prep work to construct a shorter route over the Dornoch Firth reconnecting the county town of Sutherland to the railway network.

 

[Struner]

The FNL should also be part of a connection to Orkney of course. Sleeper connection at Inverness to connect to an early afternoon ferry, enabling people to reach one of the outer islands on the same day.
Or the sleeper from Edinburgh, if & when ( https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/could-a-sleeper-service-run-to-wick.143068/ ).
I suppose the underhand subsidies to air travel will end at some time in the future, as they don't fit in very well with any zero emission scenario.

 

[hexagon789]

Apologies for indulging in necromancy here, I am presently having a go at designing a North Highlands Taktplan (clock face departures).

Obviously, the big challenge is trying to fit the timetable around the passing points as there are a lot of single track sections.

So far, after starting again after being able to fit the trains passing at one loop but not the others without lengthy gaps, I have settled upon a baseline frequency of every 60 minutes Inverness to Tain (with some extensions to Thurso/Wick).

I have built the timetable around a Clachnaharry - Clunes double track section (Lentran Loop) which works fine as far as Dingwall, but I have come a bit stuck with trying to fit things in north of there. A clash I have is in between Alness and Invergordon, where as at present, trains cannot pass each other along that section as it is single track, and the running time between Dingwall and Invergorden is 17 minutes, and 19 minutes between Invergorden and Tain.

I have noticed that Alness station used to have 2 platforms, but I am unsure if it was a simple passing loop or whether there was double track between there and Invergordon. As the line between these two stations is more or less straight with a couple of gentle curves, I would recommend this section for double track so as to maintain timetable robustness as well as the Lentran Loop.

It's been done before, back in the 1980s, the Far North, Kyle of Lochalsh and West Highland were operated on a broadly 'clockface' timetable, though the number of hours between services was quite significant:

1986
Inverness-Wick
0635, 1135, 1735

Wick-Inverness
0600, 1200, 1800

Inverness-Kyle
0655, 1055 (SX), 1755

Kyle-Inverness
0710, 1110, 1710

I believe this was all part of Chris Green's plan for a ScotRail-wide taktfahrplan.

 

[markymark2000]

I have looked at your timetables and they look really good. Would it work if you switched the shuttle around so that the direct trains ran Inverness to Wick and the shuttle worked so passengers connected for Thurso? I'm just thinking about the train reversing at Georgemas Junction which would reduce the journey time by a few more minutes. Very good plan though. It's all down to having the trains available though. Would the D train manage on the line? I say that on the basis that though it would mainly do the shuttle, there will be times when it is needed to come back down the Far North Line for maintenance of some kind.

 

[Esker-pades]

I have looked at your timetables and they look really good. Would it work if you switched the shuttle around so that the direct trains ran Inverness to Wick and the shuttle worked so passengers connected for Thurso? I'm just thinking about the train reversing at Georgemas Junction which would reduce the journey time by a few more minutes. Very good plan though. It's all down to having the trains available though. Would the D train manage on the line? I say that on the basis that though it would mainly do the shuttle, there will be times when it is needed to come back down the Far North Line for maintenance of some kind.

Couple of things:

Georgemas Junction is one single platform. The train from Inverness arrives from the west. If it departs east (Wick), the Thurso shuttle has to sit outside the station. But, if it departs west (Thurso), the Wick shuttle can already be in the platform.

It makes little sense to have a micro fleet based in Caithness. It makes sense to have a few stabled in Thurso overnight (currently this happens but in Wick). Their duties would be shuffled according to maintenance and other requirements.

 

[markymark2000]

Couple of things:

Georgemas Junction is one single platform. The train from Inverness arrives from the west. If it departs east (Wick), the Thurso shuttle has to sit outside the station. But, if it departs west (Thurso), the Wick shuttle can already be in the platform.

It makes little sense to have a micro fleet based in Caithness. It makes sense to have a few stabled in Thurso overnight (currently this happens but in Wick). Their duties would be shuffled according to maintenance and other requirements.

Georgemas Junction has 2 platforms according the National Rail. Unless 1 has recently been taken out of use. Are you basically saying they will call on trains to make it work?

The only reason I suggested the D train is because that is about the only diesel train which the UK has enough. There aren't any 158s going spare for the proposed timetables to take place.

 

[Esker-pades]

Georgemas Junction has 2 platforms according the National Rail. Unless 1 has recently been taken out of use. Are you basically saying they will call on trains to make it work?

One platform was taken out of use in ~2012 for a new freight terminal. Only one platform remains.

The only reason I suggested the D train is because that is about the only diesel train which the UK has enough. There aren't any 158s going spare for the proposed timetables to take place.

Currently, yes. There is neither the infrastructure nor the rolling stock to make a clockface timetable a reality. This is why it is in the speculative ideas section. If/when the Lentran Loop/Kinbrace Loop/Halkirk station and associated points work/Evanton station and loop is complete, there will be enough rolling stock. Given the current replacement of Inverness based 158s with HSTs for the Inverness to Aberdeen line, there should be additional 158s going spare for the North Highland Lines soon*.

*Anything from Dec 2019 to March 2036, given the pace of Wabtec's refurbishment.

 

[markymark2000]

One platform was taken out of use in ~2012 for a new freight terminal. Only one platform remains.


Currently, yes. There is neither the infrastructure nor the rolling stock to make a clockface timetable a reality. This is why it is in the speculative ideas section. If/when the Lentran Loop/Kinbrace Loop/Halkirk station and associated points work/Evanton station and loop is complete, there will be enough rolling stock. Given the current replacement of Inverness based 158s with HSTs for the Inverness to Aberdeen line, there should be additional 158s going spare for the North Highland Lines soon*.

*Anything from Dec 2019 to March 2036, given the pace of Wabtec's refurbishment.

NRE giving the wrong info then. I did have a look and a few sites said different things but google maps and NRE said 2 so I opted for them being reliable sources (clearly not).
You don't need a clockface timetable but I mean the timetables which the OP created could be done easily if the stock was available.

 

[Esker-pades]

NRE giving the wrong info then. I did have a look and a few sites said different things but google maps and NRE said 2 so I opted for them being reliable sources (clearly not).
You don't need a clockface timetable but I mean the timetables which the OP created could be done easily if the stock was available.

And the Lentran Loop....

 

[Highlandspring]

NRE giving the wrong info then. I did have a look and a few sites said different things but google maps and NRE said 2 so I opted for them being reliable sources (clearly not).

Although Streetview shows the old layout the satellite view shows the single remaining platform and the flask loading compound where the other platform used to be...

 

[adrock1976]

In the scenario that Lentran Loop, Evanton reopening, Georgemas West Curve, Halkirk reopening, and the loop at Kinbrace have already happened, I have looked further ahead for a big capital project by means of crossing the Dornoch Firth and reconnecting the county town of Sutherland to the railway network.

I have assumed a route from Tain along the present alignment to near the Dornoch Firth Caravan Park near the south end of the road bridge, crossing the Firth parallel with the road bridge to the north side, a diagonal straight route to a point west of Dornoch Academy, gently curving so as to run horizontal to the vicinity of Station Square. The route would curve north eastwards and would use the former alignment of the Dornoch Light Railway to The Mound, where it would rejoin the present route to Golspie. I have also assumed the stations at Embo (Station Road, next to the caravan park) and Skelbo Castle would reopen. I have assumed Skelbo Castle station would have 2 platforms as well as Dornoch, so as to allow trains to pass each other in opposite directions. Also, the disused platform at Golspie could be brought back into use as well.

While I was measuring the distances on Google Maps, there could be a shorter alignment from Skelbo Castle across Loch Fleet to Golspie, where it could rejoin the original route south of Golspie just before the track veers right towards The Mound. I have also consulted a 1947 Ordnance Survey map as well, and have viewed the lie of the land while taking the measurements to help design the timetable (which I have attached). The inland route via Lairg between Golspie and Tain I have assumed for this section to be transferred to heritage operation, as is/was proposed by one of the campaigning groups (cannot remember the name) in the Highlands.

The service pattern I have designed is Wick and Thurso - Inverness via Dornoch every 4 hours, with Helmsdale - Inverness via Dornoch every 4 hours as well, which would provide a frequency of every 2 hours between Helmsdale and Inverness. I have kept the Kyle of Lochalsh trains broadly as they are, and I have introduced some short Inverness - Dingwall workings to plug in some gaps. It is noted that I have built the timetable around the morning Stromness - Scrabster ferry and the evening return departure at 19:00.

I may have a go to see what a 90/180 minute frequency would look like.

 

[najaB]

...which the reinstatement could be a first part of the prep work to construct a shorter route over the Dornoch Firth...

That ship has well and truly sailed, unfortunately. The BCR will never stack up unless the road bridge also needs replacing for some reason.