Inverness and Ross-shire Railway

It provided the basis for later extensions that eventually reached Thurso, forming the Far North Line.

The advantages to a community that had a railway service were already plainly visible, as were the serious disadvantages in not being so connected, and interested persons in Inverness started to think about their situation.

[1] At the time a railway heading directly south towards Perth was not technically feasible, and attention was given to reaching Aberdeen, and getting a connection southwards by that circuitous route.

At first this was expected to be by ferry crossing from Nairn to the north side of the narrows of the Cromarty Firth; from there railways could extend on easier ground to Invergordon, Tain and Dingwall.

Sir Alexander Matheson of Ardross was the driving force in ensuring the formation of a company to carry out this work, encouraged by the far-sighted engineer Joseph Mitchell, and a provisional committee met in Inverness in January 1859 to promote such a line.

[3] The remainder of the route was delayed by a dispute over land acquisition, but on 25 March 1863 the line was opened throughout to Invergordon.

[7] In the mean time, Parliamentary powers to amalgamate with the Inverness and Aberdeen Junction Railway were sought, and duly obtained on 30 June 1862.

[8] The notion of a Far North Line was now gathering pace, and the independent Sutherland Railway was authorised in 1865, opening to Golspie in 1868.