Inverness airport railway station: now open 2/2/23

[InOban]

I believe that flights out of Inverness are exempt from APD.

 

[davetheguard]

Even if the new station is only moderately busy, its construction will always have had the added bonus of a new loop being added to break up the single line section between Inverness & Nairn, allowing better recovery from delays and a more frequent train service.

 

[CEN60]

Even if the new station is only moderately busy, its construction will always have had the added bonus of a new loop being added to break up the single line section between Inverness & Nairn, allowing better recovery from delays and a more frequent train service.

Plus I understand a freight connection to the Norbord manufacturing facility to the west of the proposed station - only the connection at the moment - not the yard - as I understand it! Its was on the planning drawings - but not heard any mention of it in any of the press statements from NR..

 

[Stathern Jc]

A short Youtube clip with a view of the work as of today.
Also, a lot of earthworks has been done to the East of the old bridge. I'll try to get something looking in that direction before the bridge is demolished.

 

[Meerkat]

A short Youtube clip with a view of the work as of today.
Also, a lot of earthworks has been done to the East of the old bridge. I'll try to get something looking in that direction before the bridge is demolished.

Is that wall part of the new platform or a protection wall whilst they do the work?

 

[Stathern Jc]

It looks very much the platform edging, very substantial and well aligned.
Quite a quantity of the precast sections on site to the left of the picture.

 

[Tormod]

Good to see progress.

 

[och aye]

A short Youtube clip with a view of the work as of today.
Also, a lot of earthworks has been done to the East of the old bridge. I'll try to get something looking in that direction before the bridge is demolished.

Thank you for the video. It's always great when someone local on the forum can give updates. I look forward to your updates.

PS.
Nice of the driver to give you an acknowledgement.

 

[D6130]

I passed through on 1A50, 11 02 Inverness-Aberdeen HST last Wednesday and they hadn't started positioning the platform edging units then as far as I could see, so progress is clearly ongoing. I have to say though, that according to friends in the area, there are Reston-style doubts about the long term usage and viability of the new station. It's on the opposite site of the airport from the terminal building, which has frequent direct bus services from Inverness city centre. There may possibly be a limited amount of potential traffic from Elgin, Forres and Nairn, but it's still going to be a faff getting from the station to the terminal with luggage, even with a shuttle bus.

 

[Meerkat]

I passed through on 1A50, 11 02 Inverness-Aberdeen HST last Wednesday and they hadn't started positioning the platform edging units then as far as I could see, so progress is clearly ongoing. I have to say though, that according to friends in the area, there are Reston-style doubts about the long term usage and viability of the new station. It's on the opposite site of the airport from the terminal building, which has frequent direct bus services from Inverness city centre. There may possibly be a limited amount of potential traffic from Elgin, Forres and Nairn, but it's still going to be a faff getting from the station to the terminal with luggage, even with a shuttle bus.

They are building a new town to the south aren't they? I assumed that is why the station got approval.

 

[D6130]

They are building a new town to the south aren't they? I assumed that is why the station got approval.

Ahh....I wasn't aware of that - and by the sound of things, nor were my friends near Inverness.

 

[najaB]

They are building a new town to the south aren't they? I assumed that is why the station got approval.

I know there are houses being built in the area though I don't know if there are enough to be classed as a town.

 

[Stathern Jc]

Don't know just how many houses are already built, probably around 100 or so. Some have been occupied for 2 years now and the small supermarket open perhaps for a year.
They are all of a very distinctive style, some have said the project has similarities to the village Price Charles had developed in Dorset.

According to the developers website Tornagrain will definitely be a town.
"The town of 5,000 homes, 3 primary schools, a secondary school, shops, employment space, parks and other services covers a 620 acre site and is expected to take 50 years to complete."

The "Town Plan" on the following page might be of interest, the station being shown as Item 10.

Story so Far

www.tornagrain.com

 

[D6130]

The "Town Plan" on the following page might be of interest, the station being shown as Item 10.

Very interesting....so will the new station be called Dalcross or Tornagrain?

 

[Stathern Jc]

There is mention upthread from #pdeaves of it being Inverness Airport - IVA.
I sometimes refer to it as Tornagrain Parkway, but doubt that will stick.

 

[pdeaves]

According to the developers website Tornagrain will definitely be a town.
"The town of 5,000 homes, 3 primary schools, a secondary school, shops, employment space, parks and other services covers a 620 acre site and is expected to take 50 years to complete."

I hope that doesn't mean 50 years of (continuous) construction!

Similarly, I hope it doesn't imply the new station will take 50 years to complete (probably no input from the Crossrail management team...)

 

[CEN60]

There is mention upthread from #pdeaves of it being Inverness Airport - IVA.
I sometimes refer to it as Tornagrain Parkway, but doubt that will stick.

It will be called "Inverness Airport Station" - originally was Dalcross - but the current project team have been informed it will be Inverness Airport

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It will be called "Inverness Airport Station" - originally was Dalcross - but the current project team have been informed it will be Inverness Airport

I should imagine those hoping to give Inverness a high profile would be pleased with a station name of "Inverness Airport".

Even a city such as Manchester has a station with the name of "Manchester Airport".

 

[najaB]

Even a city such as Manchester has a station with the name of "Manchester Airport".

Given the station's terminal nature (both location and role) it's difficult to see how it could be called anything other than Manchester Airport.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Given the station's terminal nature (both location and role) it's difficult to see how it could be called anything other than Manchester Airport.

I think you will be well aware of certain website members who still keep referring to it as "Ringway"...

 

[Neptune]

I think you will be well aware of certain website members who still keep referring to it as "Ringway"...

A bit like peoples irritating habit of calling Leeds/Bradford Airport ‘Yeadon Airport’. Can’t stand all this living in the past.

 

[Grumpy]

I should imagine those hoping to give Inverness a high profile would be pleased with a station name of "Inverness Airport".

Given that the airport only has a single figure number of departures most weekdays (only 3 on one) and none Saturdays, its main usage is hardly likely to be for airport passengers. Why not reflect the area it is to serve.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 27 Jan 2022 ==

A bit like peoples irritating habit of calling Leeds/Bradford Airport ‘Yeadon Airport’. Can’t stand all this living in the past.

Perhaps in many respects the past was a better place to live in. Nothing wrong with locals calling it Yeadon-that's where it is. Cant understand why Bradford is included in the title-it's not in Bradford and I suspect most Bradford fliers use Manchester. Possibly more users from Harrogate.

 

[The exile]

Perhaps in many respects the past was a better place to live in. Nothing wrong with locals calling it Yeadon-that's where it is. Cant understand why Bradford is included in the title-it's not in Bradford and I suspect most Bradford fliers use Manchester. Possibly more users from Harrogate.

Although for some it may be “ living in the past” to use Hurn, Abbotsinch, Turnhouse, Lulsgate or whatever, it’s also just a matter of local precision. If someone from a hundred mikes away fancies a bit of shopping in Oxford Street, they’re likely to say they’re going “ to London”. Someone in Acton, Highgate or wherever is likely to be more specific. Equally, I’m not aware of objections to the use of Luton, Stansted, Heathrow or even Lydd without the word “London” even though it’s part of the name….

 

[Western Lord]

A bit like peoples irritating habit of calling Leeds/Bradford Airport ‘Yeadon Airport’. Can’t stand all this living in the past.

I once spent a day plane spotting at London Airport.

 

[Neptune]

Perhaps in many respects the past was a better place to live in. Nothing wrong with locals calling it Yeadon-that's where it is.

Perhaps it was in some respects but it’s never been called Yeadon Airport, ever. It opened as Leeds & Bradford Municipal Aerodrome.

Cant understand why Bradford is included in the title-it's not in Bradford and I suspect most Bradford fliers use Manchester. Possibly more users from Harrogate.

Bradford is in the title as it serves the city as well as Leeds. Going by that theory London should be removed from the title of Gatwick, Stansted and Luton.

Suspecting most people from Bradford use Manchester? Do you have the facts to back it up? There are plenty of places in the Bradford district nearer to LBA than Leeds city centre itself (15 min drive from my home in the Aire Valley). Even when I fly transatlantic I use LBA to connect at either Dublin or Heathrow.

 

[Meerkat]

Given that the airport only has a single figure number of departures most weekdays (only 3 on one) and none Saturdays, its main usage is hardly likely to be for airport passengers. Why not reflect the area it is to serve.

AIUI there is to be a fair amount of industrial/business park development at the airport so that might generate traffic.
Also as someone pointed out in another thread the name is more important for those coming in, and they will almost all be airport related. The commuters wont get confused about where their station is. Its a hard sell to say the airport has a station and then tell people to get off at Tornagrain.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Given that the airport only has a single figure number of departures most weekdays (only 3 on one) and none Saturdays, its main usage is hardly likely to be for airport passengers. Why not reflect the area it is to serve.

I don't recognise these figures perhaps flight are currently at a reduced level due to Covid and it being winter?

 

[najaB]

I don't recognise these figures perhaps flight are currently at a reduced level due to Covid and it being winter?

Yeah, flights are way down at the moment. Typically during the summer you'd be looking at more like 15-20 flights a day.

 

[mcmad]

looks to be 11 departures today?

 

[Grumpy]

looks to be 11 departures today?


View attachment 109359

But not all passenger carrying.