Kingussie railway station

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Kingussie

Scottish Gaelic: Ceann a' Ghiùthsaich[1]
National Rail
View north towards Aviemore
General information
LocationKingussie, Highland
Scotland
Coordinates57°04′39″N 4°03′15″W / 57.0776°N 4.0543°W / 57.0776; -4.0543
Grid referenceNH756004
Managed byScotRail
Platforms2
Other information
Station codeKIN[2]
History
Original companyInverness and Perth Junction Railway
Pre-groupingHighland Railway
Post-groupingLondon, Midland and Scottish Railway
Key dates
9 September 1863Station opened
Passengers
2020/21Decrease 7,352
2021/22Increase 25,682
2022/23Increase 32,978
2023/24Increase 41,726
2024/25Increase 42,058
Listed Building – Category B
Designated5 October 1971
Reference no.LB36282[3]
Location
Notes
Passenger statistics from the Office of Rail and Road

Kingussie railway station serves the town of Kingussie, Inverness-shire in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Highland Main Line, 71 miles 43 chains (115.1 km) from Perth, between Newtonmore and Aviemore.[4]

History

The Inverness and Perth Junction Railway (I&PJ) was authorised in 1861 for a line between Forres and Dunkeld.[5] It was built quickly, and was opened in sections; the last stretch, that between Aviemore and Pitlochry, was opened on 9 September 1863; and one of the original stations was that at Kingussie.[6][7] The current station buildings date from 1893 by the architect William Roberts.[8]

The I&PJ amalgamated with other railways to form the Highland Railway (HR) in 1865,[9] and at the 1923 Grouping the HR became part of the newly formed London, Midland and Scottish Railway.[10] The adjacent stations were Kincraig to the north, and Newtonmore to the south,[11] although the former has now closed.[12]

The station was host to a LMS caravan in 1935 and 1936 followed by two caravans from 1937 to 1939.[13] A camping coach was also positioned here by the Scottish Region from 1953 to 1963, increasing to two coaches from 1964 to 1967.[14]

There are two platforms, both of conventional height. The Up line platform used to be at a slightly lower height; in 2017, the platform was rebuilt and resurfaced to standard height.[15]

Location

The station is located in Ruthven Road, Kingussie, about 200 yards (180 m) south-east of the High Street. Kingussie High School is close to the station. A level crossing takes Ruthven Road over both tracks at the Inverness end of the station, with the local signal box at the same end of platform 2.

Facilities

The station seen in 2017

Both platforms have benches and help points. Platform 2 has a separate waiting room, whilst shelter on platform 1 is provided by the station buildings. In the station buildings is a ticket office and toilets. Only platform 1 is step-free; platform 2 can only be accessed by the footbridge. There is a car park and cycle racks adjacent to platform 1.[16]

In September 2023, a new accessible footbridge received planning permission.[17]

Platform layout

The station is on the mainly single-track line from Inverness to Perth, and has a passing loop 33 chains (660 m) long, flanked by two platforms. Platform 1 on the northbound line can accommodate trains having twelve coaches, whereas platform 2 on the southbound line can hold thirteen.[18]

Passenger volume

Passenger Volume at Kingussie[19]
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 2023–24 2024–25
Entries and exits 27,725 30,045 32,135 33,416 38,054 35,838 38,544 40,298 40,954 41,400 42,522 42,850 44,200 44,736 40,758 39,254 7,352 25,682 32,978 41,726 42,058

The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.

Services

In the May 2026 timetable, there are six trains each weekday to both Edinburgh Waverley (including the Highland Chieftain to London King's Cross) and Glasgow Queen Street southbound, plus the overnight sleeper to London Euston, six nights per week. Northbound there are twelve departures to Inverness. On Sundays there are five trains to Edinburgh (including the King's Cross service) and two to Glasgow, along with seven to Inverness, two of which extend to Elgin.[20]

Preceding station National Rail National Rail Following station
Newtonmore or
Pitlochry		   London North Eastern Railway
Highland Chieftain		   Aviemore
Newtonmore or Pitlochry or
Dalwhinnie or Terminus		   ScotRail
Highland Main Line		  
Newtonmore   Caledonian Sleeper
Highland Caledonian Sleeper		  
  Historical railways  
Newtonmore
Line and station open		   Highland Railway
Inverness and Perth Junction Railway		   Kincraig
Line open; station closed

Future proposals

This station is planned to benefit from a package of timetable enhancements introduced by Transport Scotland and Scotrail. The current Perth to Inverness timetable will increase to hourly each way, with trains south of there running on alternate hours to Edinburgh and Glasgow. Journey times will be reduced by 10 minutes to both cities.[21] As of May 2026, this has still not taken place.[22]

References

  1. Brailsford, Martyn, ed. (December 2017) [1987]. "Gaelic/English Station Index". Railway Track Diagrams 1: Scotland & Isle of Man (6th ed.). Frome: Trackmaps. ISBN 978-0-9549866-9-8.
  2. Deaves, Phil. "Railway Codes". railwaycodes.org.uk. Retrieved 27 September 2022.
  3. "KINGUSSIE RAILWAY STATION INCLUDING STATION HOUSE, FOOTBRIDGE AND SIGNAL BOX". Historic Scotland. Archived from the original on 25 January 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  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. 94. ISBN 978-1909431-26-3.
  5. Vallance, H.A.; Clinker, C.R.; Lambert, Anthony J. (1985) [1938]. The Highland Railway (4th ed.). Newton Abbot: David & Charles. pp. 24–25. ISBN 0-946537-24-0.
  6. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, p. 25
  7. Butt, R.V.J. (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations. Yeovil: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 135. ISBN 1-85260-508-1. R508.
  8. The Buildings of Scotland, Highland and Islands. John Gifford. Yale University Press. 1992. ISBN 0-300-09625-9
  9. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, p. 29
  10. Vallance, Clinker & Lambert 1985, p. 154
  11. Conolly, W. Philip (January 1976). British Railways Pre-Grouping Atlas and Gazetteer (5th ed.). Shepperton: Ian Allan. p. 33, sections A2–A3. ISBN 0-7110-0320-3. EX/0176.
  12. Butt 1995, p. 133
  13. McRae, Andrew (1997). British Railway Camping Coach Holidays: The 1930s & British Railways (London Midland Region). Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part One). Foxline. p. 22. ISBN 1-870119-48-7.
  14. McRae, Andrew (1998). British Railways Camping Coach Holidays: A Tour of Britain in the 1950s and 1960s. Vol. Scenes from the Past: 30 (Part Two). Foxline. p. 13. ISBN 1-870119-53-3.
  15. Molloy, Laura (13 June 2017). "Platform Reconstruction at Kingussie Will Herald Larger Trains To Highlands". CPR Resurfacing. Retrieved 13 June 2026.
  16. "National Rail Enquiries -". www.nationalrail.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  17. "New footbridge at Kingussie railway station is approved". Strathspey Herald. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2024.
  18. Brailsford 2017, map 19C.
  19. "Estimates of station usage | ORR Data Portal". dataportal.orr.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 June 2026.
  20. eNRT May 2026 Edition, Table 213, 220
  21. "Transport Scotland". Archived from the original on 20 August 2016.
  22. eNRT May 2026 Edition, Table 213, 220