Sutherland and Caithness Railway

It was driven through by the efforts of the 3rd Duke of Sutherland and the engineer Joseph Mitchell in the face of apathy from interests in Wick.

It obtained Parliamentary authority on 30 July 1866, but no construction was carried out, due to lack of share subscription "despite strenuous efforts".

For 35 miles to the south of those places there was poor land scarcely capable of sustaining crofters, but between Thurso and Wick there were arable and sheep-rearing farms.

Immediately north of Helmsdale, the mountainous Ord of Caithness presents a barrier that is discouraging for railway designers, and Mitchell recommended a route that went round it to the north-west; it added mileage but would be cheaper and easier.

Such a route was designed, with a summit level of 1,074 ft and a gradient of 1 in 40 for a distance of seven miles; in addition a rope worked incline would be needed for a 1 in 10 slope at Berriedale.

[5][8] Returning to Mitchell's route, raising the money was now a problem, as Wick was satisfied with its coastal shipping links and did not wish to pay to open up areas of Sutherland.

The railway contractor Thomas Brassey was now brought in, and he provisionally agreed that he would construct the line and take £100,000 in shares as part payment.

The opposing schemes were reviewed by the parliamentary select committee on 3 and 4 May 1871, and it was the Sutherland and Caithness Railway Act 1871 (34 & 35 Vict.

[10] During the survey the Duke of Sutherland had seriously considered the idea of a 2 ft 6in gauge line: the potential saving in construction and operating costs was tempting, but the problem of trans-shipping goods and passengers prevailed.

They departed so far from the conventional image of the railway navvy as to combine among themselves to pay for a preacher to come on Sunday.

During the construction, there were immense tracts of soft peat moss to contend with from the County March to Dorrery, a distance of 12 miles.

The Provost and a few local worthies turned out to greet him, but it was a somewhat restrained reception for 'they do not in their corporate or personal capacity hold a single £10 share of the railway among them'.

Sir Tollemache Sinclair had organised a collection to make him a presentation to mark his contribution, but the duke deprecated the notion, saying he had enough silver plate already, and asked that Sir Tollemache's collection be distributed among 'those poor fellows who have borne the burden and the heat of the day in pushing on the works as they have done.