Network Rail are installing new equipment at 8 railway stations in the Scottish Highlands, which will remove the need for a hand signal at the request stops.
The stations at Scotscalder, Altnabreac, Kinbrace, Kildonan, Dunrobin Castle, Rogart, Invershin and Culrain will have the new ‘request to stop' kiosks installed allowing passengers to make the request directly to the next train.
Additional improvements are being made to the radio signalling system on the Far North Line in a project costing around £5m. This is taking place at Muir of Ord and Wick stations.
Scotscalder has been selected for a period of dual running before the kiosks are rolled out to the other stations from Summer 2022.
Until now, due to their remote locations and low passenger numbers, these stations have been request stops where passengers have had to give a hand signal to the driver to stop the train for them to board.
The new kiosks include a timetable display along with a request to stop button.
Cara Healy, Network Rail's development manager for the work on the Far North Line, said: “Enhancing the radio network will make the experience of using ‘request stop' stations more straight forward and will cater for the increased number of tourists visiting the area, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are working through the winter to get this equipment ready to ‘go live' ahead of the busier summer months.
“This new system will make it easier to use some of the most remote stations on our network and hopefully help encourage more people to travel into the Highlands to walk, climb, cycle and sightsee.”
Surely the headline should be ”Scottish railway stations to wave goodbye to hand signals……”
Will there be a backup in case the kiosks fail or are vandalised? Regular call point to a help desk?
If the kiosks don’t respond to an approaching train the driver is told to stop anyway.