Restored Thrumster station on track for new future
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Yarrows Heritage Trust officially opened the Thrumster Railway Station, which is located on the former Wick to Lybster line, on Friday.
The restoration project included the creation of a community woodland and excavation of Thrumster Mains broch.
It was opened by Lord-Lieutenant of Caithness Anne Dunnett, whose father worked on the railway, along with Thrumster Primary pupil Shannon Campbell, whose great-grandfather Arras Mackay also worked on the railway as a fireman and engine driver.
The project received support from funding agencies and the renovation work was carried out by Robbie Gordon and Ian Sutherland who carried out temporary repairs to the building before its full renovation.
During the opening ceremony, Barbara Hiddleston gave a brief history of the railway and the use of the building after the closure of the line, followed by Islay Macleod who gave a talk about Yarrows Heritage Trust.
Guests were then given a tour around the building, with trustee John Briskham playing the station master to perfection as he issued first class tickets to Lybster to all the guests.
Pupils and staff from Thrumster Primary were given a tour of the trees in the new community woodland that were planted last year, most of which appear to be thriving.
The woodland, the broch and a geological feature are all on the route of a new path and are described in attractive interpretive panels.
Several items of memorabilia have been donated by locals and a large collection of documents relating to the former station and the line were discovered in the loft of the building – these give a fascinating insight into its daily life when it was still operational.
