 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 The short platform at Beauly, looking southeast | |||||
| General information | |||||
| Location | Beauly,Highland Scotland | ||||
| Coordinates | 57°28′42″N4°28′12″W / 57.4783°N 4.4699°W /57.4783; -4.4699 | ||||
| Grid reference | NH520457 | ||||
| Managed by | ScotRail | ||||
| Platforms | 1 | ||||
| Other information | |||||
| Station code | BEL[2] | ||||
| History | |||||
| Original company | Inverness and Ross-shire Railway | ||||
| Pre-grouping | Highland Railway | ||||
| Post-grouping | London, Midland and Scottish Railway | ||||
| Key dates | |||||
| 11 June 1862 | Opened[3] | ||||
| 13 June 1960 | Closed[3] | ||||
| 15 April 2002 | Reopened[4] | ||||
| Passengers | |||||
| 2019/20 |  46,510 | ||||
| 2020/21 | 14,918 | ||||
| 2021/22 |  30,178 | ||||
| 2022/23 | 36,588 | ||||
| 2023/24 | 38,376 | ||||
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Beauly railway station is arailway station in the village ofBeauly, in theHighlandcouncil area ofScotland. Located on theFar North Line, it is 10 miles 12 chains (16.3 km) down the line fromInverness, and is the first intermediate station on the line, before reachingMuir of Ord.[5]ScotRail, which manages the station, operates all services.
TheInverness and Ross-shire Railway, which was to be a line betweenInverness andInvergordon, was authorised in 1860, and opened in stages.[6] The first section, between Inverness andDingwall, opened on 11 June 1862,[7] and Beauly was one of the stations built for the original line.[3] It had two platforms, apassing loop and a goods shed with sidings that was equipped with a 1½-ton crane.[8][9] The station was host to anLMScaravan from 1936 to 1939.[10]
The station closed nearly a century later, on 13 June 1960,[3] along with all other stations between Inverness andDingwall. This was due to increasing competition from motorbuses, particularly those ofHighland Omnibuses Ltd.[11]
Following a local campaign, the station was reopened on 15 April 2002.[4] A new single platform, shelter and car park were built in a £250,000 project.[12] The platform is the shortest in Great Britain: at the length of 15.06 metres (49 ft 5 in),[13] it is shorter than a single carriage of aClass 158 train that is usually used on this line. The platform's length only allows for a single door on the train to be opened, most frequently it is the frontmost door.[citation needed]
There is a small car park at the station, in which there are cycle racks and lockers. On the platform, there is a modern waiting shelter, in which there is a payphone.[14] As there are no facilities to purchase tickets, passengers must buy one in advance, or from the guard on the train.[citation needed]
| 2002–03 | 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entries and exits | 21,337 | 26,616 | 28,384 | 35,860 | 41,878 | 52,422 | 51,094 | 49,858 | 54,536 | 55,236 | 57,946 | 57,446 | 59,406 | 52,870 | 51,522 | 48,270 | 46,510 | 14,918 | 30,178 | 36,588 |
The statistics cover twelve month periods that start in April.
As of the December 2024 timetable, on weekdays and Saturdays, the station sees 11 trains northbound (3 toWick viaThurso, 4 toKyle of Lochalsh, 1 toDingwall, 1 toInvergordon, 1 toArdgay and 1 toTain), and 13 trains southbound toInverness. On Sundays, the station sees 6 trains northbound (1 to Wick, 1 to Kyle of Lochalsh, 1 to Invergordon and 3 to Tain), and 7 trains southbound.[16]
| Preceding station |  National Rail | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inverness | ScotRail Kyle of Lochalsh Line Far North Line | Muir of Ord | ||
| Historical railways | ||||
| Clunes Line open, station closed | Highland Railway Inverness and Ross-shire Railway | Muir of Ord Line and station open | ||
