Dornoch Light Railway
ALSO VISIT |
Working the RailwayAs we have seen the Highland Railway constructed the branch and undertook to operate it for a period of 50 years. This arrangement was subject to an agreement dated April 1901. The Highland Railway was to construct the railway and charge the Dornoch Company "Actual Cost" for this work except the £1,000 needed for the junction at the Mound which the Highland Company was to pay. The Highland Company would also allow the Dornoch Company free use of sidings, station accommodation and staff at the Mound. Operation of the line was also to be on an "Actual Cost" basis with the Highland Company providing all locomotives, coaches, wagons and plant of every kind for the working of the railway. They had absolute discretion in regard to the manner of working, subject to the provision that a reasonable use be made of the line and at least two passenger or mixed trains would run each day in the winter and three in the summer.
All operational staff were employed and paid by the Highland Company, while officers required to manage capital, financial and directorial departments were the responsibility of the Dornoch Light Railway. The Highland Company, after collecting all revenues, would deduct the actual cost of operating together with a sum for shared services eg. rolling stock maintenance, central accounting etc. then pay the balance to the Dornoch Company. It was this allowance which was to be the subject of much argument between the companies accumulating in a supplementary agreement being drawn up in 1906, which laid down a fixed sum of £153.2s.6d. per annum plus 10/- per week for any additional carriages supplied. The Highland Railway would of course benefit from through bookings of passengers, parcels and freight and increased use of its station at the Mound. Section thirteen of the original agreement indicates the position held by the Duke of Sutherland: "The most Noble Cromartie Duke and Earl of Sutherland, and each of his sucessors in the title of Earl of Sutherland, as long as he is a Director of the Dornoch Light Railway Company, may from time to time, as and when he may think fit, after giving twenty four hours notice to the Second Party (The Highland Railway Company) on each occasion of his intending so to do, run his private engine and carriage over the railway, and the Second Party shall not demand or take any tolls, rates or charges in respect thereof." It is interesting to note that no provision is made for timetabled trains, presumably if the Duke wanted to travel at the same time as a regular service it was just hard luck on the other passengers! The railway was operated throughout on the "one engine in steam" principle. Traffic would consist mainly of parcels, mails, papers, coal and livestock. Large quantities of fish would originate at Embo, which at the turn of the century was home for 30 large decked boats and had a population of over 600. In the summer of 1906 the "Further North Express" ran on Fridays only non stop from Inverness at 4.30.p.m. to Dornoch arriving at 7.33.p.m. There was no return service and the experiment was not repeated. CONTENTS The Early Years | Working the Railway | Changing Times | Motive Power | The Route Described | A Journey in 1954 Last Loco | The Mound | Cambusavie | Skelbo | Embo | Dornoch | The Dornoch Hotel | More Images
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