No trains to call at Altnabreac for the foreseeable future

[Baxenden Bank]

What is the arrangement for traffic using the nearby level crossing?

It makes me wonder whether there would be similar hostility to access if that were to need some maintenance or something beyond a relatively minor repair as I presume that the ownership of the track there is part of the same length that is problematic in accessing the station.

There have been reports this week of inconvenience to local residents while the road over the level crossing at Bunchrew is closed while work is being done there.
If access is denied for any work to be done at Altnabreac it could get interesting if something were to "deteriorate" to a point where Network Rail could decide to declare the level crossing unsafe for use by the public.

There appear to be three 'forest road' routes to arrive at Altnabreac.
One from Forsinairn (north of Forsinard Station) and two from the T-junction at Loch More.
From Loch More the southerly one passes Dalnawillan (an abandoned lodge, home to a previous Lord Thurso, local landowner) then passing Loch Dhu Lodge and the second route a more northerly alignment. J Butler describes each as part of a walk here (and the next page) with lots of photographs.
As previously discussed, legal rights to use any of those tracks (for vehicles) is another matter. In his post J Butler refers to lots of signs pointing 'out' towards Forsinairn.

As for the neighbours, a couple of Tripadvisor reviews by guests staying at Keepers Cottage:

The owners (Kevin B) were very friendly and helpful as well.

Secondly

Bruce from the nearby station house is helpful and friendly <snip>. Kevin was most helpful in supplying good information about access to the area.

 

[paul1609]

The End to End trail (Walkers Off Road Lands End to John o Groats) passes Dalnawillian Lodge on its way north from Kinbrace station to where it crosses the Wick branch at Watten. Altnabreac is listed as an emergency escape point but ive never been there. Its probably the most remote place Ive walked in the UK. I had to camp near Kinbrace station and get the train in to Helmsdale Co-op as Id run out of food (this is a known problem if you walk through here without support). I returned to Kinbrace and my tent and stayed overnight. Once I left Kinbrace I dont think I met another person for 2 days until I was near Strathmore Lodge where somebody offered me a cup of tea. Im amazed that people can fall out in such an area its far more remote than places like Rannoch Moor.

 

[enjoy_trains]

I truly hope this problem is temporary as I really want to visit this station and I'll be so sad if Altnabreac closes. I'm tempted to contact scotrail...

 

[68000]

Article in todays Sunday Times

https://archive.is/9nMuU

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Article in todays Sunday Times

https://archive.is/9nMuU

Selected highlights!

Darren Bruce, 39, a businessman and Caithness resident, blames a couple known as the “nutty neighbours”, who bought the old station house from him two years ago.
The pair, according to Bruce and other sources, routinely stop railway workers getting on to the platform to do basic maintenance, such as gritting before the biting winter.
“As soon as you go anywhere near, they are out roaring and shouting,” he said. “They are always coming out with Bible stuff; hexing people ... I don’t know what is wrong with them.”

The couple are Liz Howe, a former police detective, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and Ian Appleby. Neither have a local connection but bought the cottage after a brief holiday in the area.

The showdown between the couple and Network Rail escalated in March. Workers in lorries arrived at the long private track to the unstaffed station.
Engineers wanted to install a “press and stop” kiosk so passengers could let train drivers know to stop without waving at them.
Howe and Appleby were not happy. “They chained themselves to a gate and recited the laws of Moses,” Bruce said. “There were [about] 27 trucks and cars that couldn’t get through.”

Network Rail obtained an interim interdict, a Scottish injunction, to stop Howe and Appleby interfering with its workers. It is still trying to find a way to avoid confrontation.

 

[Gloster]

Googling ‘ liz Howe Stockport police ‘ provides a few results that provide some further information. I would think that Network Rail are going to have to step carefully.

 

[geoffk]

There's probably more to this report than simple access to the isolatrd station. The access track passes Lochdu Lodge. Resident there was a character with an interesting record. Not something related to the railway directly but isolation is what he may have craved.

Developing a timber loading facility by the station may have needed more equipment than simple maintenance of the tracks.

Isn't Lochdu where Hamish MacBeth was the local copper?

 

[InOban]

It was called Lochdhu in the TV series but the village shown was Plockton. (The series is available on UK TV play if you want to check !)

 

[MadMarsupial]

I am surprised that the railway, when selling disused property, don't insert a clause into any agreement to sell along the lines of " As purchasers of xxx stationhouse we agree to facilitate all necessary railway work near to the property" ?

 

[Gloster]

I am surprised that the railway, when selling disused property, don't insert a clause into any agreement to sell along the lines of " As purchasers of xxx stationhouse we agree to facilitate all necessary railway work near to the property" ?

Network Rail probably does have a right to gain access for work, whether laid out in a sales contract, covenant or elsewhere. However, these two appear to believe that they answer to a higher authority…or are just plain…

 

[Krokodil]

I am surprised that the railway, when selling disused property, don't insert a clause into any agreement to sell along the lines of " As purchasers of xxx stationhouse we agree to facilitate all necessary railway work near to the property" ?

I'm not sure that nutcases really care much about minor matters like the law of the land.

 

[Chris Hamilton]

What an extraordinary situation considering how long the station and line have been in existence, I can't see what he is gaining from preventing access for maintenance, and being that unhinged. Obviously staff can't be put at risk.

It’s amazing how often we have issues with line side neighbours.

I know of at least two public roads in Lanarkshire and one in Dumfriesshire that have become dead ends through either road or rail projects, that the owners have become very territorial over. In all cases, the powers that be usually just tell us to abandon the access rather than risk upsetting a lineside neighbour.

There is one level crossing in Lanarkshire where the owner of the former crossing keepers house (its now automatic of course), films us. He has a camera pointed at the crossing, and another at our equipment hut and access gate. If you so much as sneeze at 3am, he calls Milton Keynes to complain.

I do of course agree with the views of some landowners. I’ve had civilised conversations with farmers and others, where we have been asked to leave their property (which normally has a legal right of access), because, more often than not, some contractor has turned up, chewed up the farm track, left scrap outside the railway boundary, or in the worst cases, allowed livestock to escape. That’s not on, and I don’t blame them. I just wish our lawyers were a bit more proactive in protecting our ever reducing number of accesses.

 

[Ediswan]

“They are always coming out with Bible stuff; hexing people ... "

Weird. Those two behaviours are not usually found together.

 

[D6130]

There is one level crossing in Lanarkshire where the owner of the former crossing keepers house (its now automatic of course), films us. He has a camera pointed at the crossing, and another at our equipment hut and access gate. If you so much as sneeze at 3am, he calls Milton Keynes to complain.

Is that Cleghorn Crossing by any chance? If so, @McRhu may have encountered them on his photographic expeditions.

 

[Falcon1200]

It’s amazing how often we have issues with line side neighbours.

Indeed; Hopefully you don't need to work in the Craigneuk area (between Holytown and Wishaw) very often!

 

[Enthusiast]

It was called Lochdhu in the TV series

Pronounced that way, but actually spelt "Lochdubh in M.C. Beaton's excellent books.

 

[McRhu]

Is that Cleghorn Crossing by any chance? If so, @McRhu may have encountered them on his photographic expeditions.

Never had the pleasure I'm afraid. It's in the back of my mind that the house at Cleghorn was up for sale recently, although I could be wrong. Never been hexed (yet) either although I do make it a rule never to accept runic parchments from strangers when gricing.

 

[duffield]

Never had the pleasure I'm afraid. It's in the back of my mind that the house at Cleghorn was up for sale recently, although I could be wrong. Never been hexed (yet) either although I do make it a rule never to accept runic parchments from strangers when gricing.

I'm guessing that perhaps you got that rule from the classic 1957 film "Night of the Demon"?

Night of the Demon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[McRhu]

I'm guessing that perhaps you got that rule from the classic 1957 film "Night of the Demon"?

Night of the Demon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

That's the one. Look what happened to Julian Karswell when he went gricing at Clayham Junction!

 

[D6130]

That's the one. Look what happened to Julian Karswell when he went gricing at Clayham Junction!

Where's Clayham Junction when it's at home?

 

[Gloster]

Where's Clayham Junction when it's at home?

Bricket Wood and Watford for street-side shots. Stanbridgeford and elsewhere on the Leighton Buzzard-Dunstable line were also used.

Sources: Wikipedia and British Railway Movie Database.

 

[McRhu]

Where's Clayham Junction when it's at home?

As per Gloster's post. I think it was also a play on 'Clapham Junction'.

 

[reb0118]

Isn't Lochdu where Hamish MacBeth was the local copper?

This tale actually got me thinking about an episode of Hamish MacBeth. The one with Philip Jackson (Chief Inspector Japp of Scotland Yard fame) plays a mad Bible bashing evangelical pastor whose wife is having an affair with the local Church of Scotland minister whilst he lusts after the local spiritual guru.

 

[ejstubbs]

The series is available on UK TV play if you want to check

And on BBC iPlayer for at least a year: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b009q1zw/hamish-macbeth (benefits of iPlayer over UK TV Play are that iPlayer is ad-free, video resolution is better, and episodes can be downloaded to a PC or smartphone for offline viewing).

Edited to add: Episode 4 of series 1 "West Coast Story" isn't available on iPlayer due to the BBC not having the rights to broadcast some material from the film of the similar name. Those of you with an interest in or fondness for Scottish TV drama may remember that a similar problem stopped them re-showing "Tutti Frutti", or releasing it on DVD for many years. (Another rights-related issue, though rather more convoluted and with a distinct air of 'toys out of the pram' about it, has also prevented them from including the very first series of Dr Who, "An Unearthly Child", in the 60th anniversary release of classic Who stories on iPlayer. Particularly odd since it seems that the issue first arose in 1977, but the Beeb was apparently able to broadcast "An Unearthly Child" as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations ten years ago - as I know because I watched it at the time.)

Just for clarification, are we talking about the owner/resident of the station house or Lochdhu Lodge?

A comment below the farcebook post that was posted in the OP states:

To be clear - the landowner and their management agent have no issue - it is the house owner who is preventing access.

While that's not completely clear the Sunday Times article linked previously, including statements made by the man who sold the station house to its current occupiers, seems to make it very clear that the issue lies with them.

 

[Chris Hamilton]

Never had the pleasure I'm afraid. It's in the back of my mind that the house at Cleghorn was up for sale recently, although I could be wrong. Never been hexed (yet) either although I do make it a rule never to accept runic parchments from strangers when gricing.

Not Cleghorn, but not far away.

I don’t know if it’s changed hands since, but when I was based at Carstairs, the owners of the Cleghorn cottage certainly used to be quite helpful. In one case lending us their garden hose to “wash” the crossing when the council had dropped a load of salt on it, causing Track Circuit failures.

Indeed; Hopefully you don't need to work in the Craigneuk area (between Holytown and Wishaw) very often!

Used to be based at both Motherwell and Carstairs S&T, and yes, I have encountered the good citizens of Craigneuk.

We were threatened with a weapon one night when responding to cable theft, which prompted a full armed response from the coppers. We were also told a different night that we shouldn’t bother rolling out a new cable as it would just be stolen the next day, which it was.

Thankfully cable theft has diminished dramatically in that area since it was resignalled to Solid State in 2018.

These days I’m in Edinburgh, and there are some interesting people here too.

 

[MadMac]

Not Cleghorn, but not far away.

I don’t know if it’s changed hands since, but when I was based at Carstairs, the owners of the Cleghorn cottage certainly used to be quite helpful. In one case lending us their garden hose to “wash” the crossing when the council had dropped a load of salt on it, causing Track Circuit failures.


Used to be based at both Motherwell and Carstairs S&T, and yes, I have encountered the good citizens of Craigneuk.

We were threatened with a weapon one night when responding to cable theft, which prompted a full armed response from the coppers. We were also told a different night that we shouldn’t bother rolling out a new cable as it would just be stolen the next day, which it was.

Thankfully cable theft has diminished dramatically in that area since it was resignalled to Solid State in 2018.

These days I’m in Edinburgh, and there are some interesting people here too.

The Cleghorn folks were indeed very helpful and friendly any time I happened to be there. As to Craigneuk: there’s been at least one instance that I recall of an entire AWS electromagnet being stolen. Like you say, Solid State tends not to be affected once the message gets across that the cable has no scrap value.

 

[Killingworth]

Times article has been updated; https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/...neighbours-closing-remote-rail-halt-v5cfjkfl9

Meeting planned to stop ‘nutty neighbours’ closing remote rail halt​

David Leask
Tuesday November 21 2023, 12.01am, The Times
Transport

The Flow Country may become a Unesco World Heritage site. Liz Howe, above, and Ian Appleby blocked access to Altnabreac station
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A meeting has been called to find ways to reopen Scotland’s most remote railway station after it was closed by “nutty neighbours”.

Services to the tiny train stop of Altnabreac, in the Caithness Flow Country, were suspended last week because a couple who live near the platform will not let workers carry out repairs.

Rail, police and council officials will meet politicians next week to decide how to end a standoff that has caused tension in the Highland community of half a dozen homes.


Network Rail, which is responsible for maintaining the station, has already secured an interim interdict against two locals, dubbed the “nutty neighbours” locally, to ensure its staff can get to the platform.

Raymond Bremner, the leader of Highland council, praised the railway authorities for their “tolerance” of the situation but the Wick and East Caithness councillor stressed that the community, which is miles from the nearest road, needed its trains.

“Nobody has the right, the moral right, to shut off parts of Scotland or Caithness to its communities and its people,” he said.
“The name Altnabreac means ‘speckled burn’ in English, we are talking about the heart of the Gaelic heritage of Caithness. It has a huge place in our culture and must be accessible.
“What is happening just now is that part of the culture and history and heritage of Caithness has been shut off. In real terms not a lot people use the station but we have to ensure the accessibility to our remote communities for travellers, tourists, walkers.”
Scotland’s railway community has been buzzing with speculation about the future of the station. The meeting on Monday will include politicians, business leaders, Network Rail, ScotRail, Police Scotland, the British Transport Police and other stakeholders.

Altnabreac railway station is the gateway to “getting away from it all”
JOHN LUCAS/GEOGRAPH

​

One possible outcome is for authorities to issue a compulsory buy-back order on the property, effectively evicting the couple from their home.
The householders who are blocking access are Liz Howe, a former police detective from Stockport, Greater Manchester, and Ian Appleby. They live in the station cottage right on the platform, which they bought in 2021 after a holiday in the area.

Darren Bruce, the former owner of the railway station house, is in dispute with Howe and Appleby
DAVID WARD
Howe made headlines in 2020 when she was reported missing after “turning to God”. She was found safe and well in the Highlands after a UK-wide police hunt.
Darren Bruce, 39, a businessman who sold them the house and says he still has property near by, is in dispute with the couple.

​

“As soon as you go anywhere near, they are out roaring and shouting,” he told The Sunday Times, “They are always coming out with Bible stuff; hexing people. I don’t know what is wrong with them.”
The Times was unable to reach the pair for comment.
Bremner, who has walked all over the Flow Country, said there were “routes of discovery” all around Altnabreac.
Colin Baird, a travel writer, suggested a long cycle ride from Altnabreac in the latest Lonely Planet Scottish Experiences guide.
“It is a truly unique place where you can really get away from it all where you can find real solitude if that is what you are looking for,” he said. “The sky is huge and the only sounds you will hear are insects.”
The Flow Country, once seen as a wasteland, is now a candidate to be a Unesco world heritage site. The Far North Line is considered one of the great railway journeys of Scotland.
Frank Roach, manager at regional transport partnership Hitrans, said: “We are keen to see a resolution to the access problem at Altnabreac.

​

“For almost 150 years access to the site by rail staff and non-motorised would-be passengers has not been a problem. I hope that normal service can be resumed soon.”



Transport

 

[Falcon1200]

We were threatened with a weapon one night when responding to cable theft, which prompted a full armed response from the coppers.

Yes, I recall having to get the BT Police to assist the S&T staff out there. Passing on a train, I remember too the amount of rubbish dumped on the banking by the locals.

 

[evotista]

According to this months Modern Railways magazine plans to install a Request to Stop kiosk at Altnabreac are stalled due to a lack of a power supply .... it then adds "solar and wind options are being explored"

I wonder if the prospect of a potential mini wind turbine is also another reason why the owners of the station house are trying to refuse access.

 

[skyhigh]

I wonder if the prospect of a potential mini wind turbine is also another reason why the owners of the station house are trying to refuse access.

I doubt it's specifically that. It sounds like they get upset at anything and everything.