Altnabreac station and the various legal disputes around it

[norbitonflyer]

Also I believe this station had an electronic request stop button, but it was taken out, along with some other platform furniture.

It has one now, but i'm not sure it had been installed at that date. [EDIT - I stand corrected. Despite several attempts, NR have not been able to install one yet]

The dispute seems to have started in early 2023 when Scotrail tried to gain access to the station to install the stop button, but were thwarted by Appleby and Howe.

NR had obtained permission from the Forestrty Company, who are the registered owners of the quarry to the west of the station, to build a temporary compound there whlst the equipment was installed on the station. (I'm not sure whether this was before or after Scotrail first tried to gain access via the driveway).

When they turned up, Howe chained up the gate to the quarry to prevent them entering, claiming the quarry was her property (or rather Appleby's - the deeds to Station House are in Appleby's name alone, even though it was bought with the proceeds from her father's estate).

The quarry former sidiings and the house were both previouosly owned by Booth's ex-wife and her new husband, and NR had an agreement with them to access the staton via the quarry and sidings. Appleby mentions this several times as justification for claiming NR need to get his permission for access to the station, but the arrangement had nothing to do with the driveway, and the vendors' solicitor expressly said that the sale to Appleby was for the house alone, and not the quarry.

At a later date, during the period the station was closed (Nov 2023 - April 2025), some equipment was removed by Appleby from the station platform and stored in the shelter. This was recovered by Scotrail in July 2024.

The press to hail button was eventually installed at the end of March 2025, NR getting an overnight possesion to install it, and tactile paving, overnight, accessing the station by rail, and the station re-opened shortly afterwards.

Of course, Appleby claims to own the entirety of the land that was conveyed between members of the Sinclair family back in 1915 and again in 1979 - as well as the trackbed of the railway which was sold by the Sinclairs to the Sutherland & Caithness Railway in 1874. All I will say on that is that the words "which I may have" and "together with" are doing a lot of heavy lifting in Appleby and Howe's interpretation of those documents.

Incidentally, in the 19th century the Sinclairs owned about a quarter of the County of Caithness, and were often the county's MP until Sir Archibald Sinclair, who had been Secretary of State for Air during World War Two and has a "Battle of Britain" Bulleid Pacific namesake, was elevated to the peerage in 1952.

EDIT - I see they have just published a second video, of them stopping another train

EDITED AGAIN as i have been told that the quarry was not owned by the previous owners of Station House, although it appears they were using it and the former sidings

 

[styles]

It has one now, but i'm not sure it had been installed at that date. The dispute seems to have started in early 2023 when Scotrail tried to gain access to the station to install the stop button, but were thwarted by Appleby and Howe.

I visited the station in 2025, and it was not there. I had to flag the train down. My understanding is that it was installed, then removed, along with other furniture.

NR had obtained permission from the Forestrty Company, who are the registered owners of the quarry to the west of the station, to build a temporary compound there whlst the equipment was installed on the station. (I'm not sure whether this was before or after Scotrail first tried to gain access via the driveway).

When they turned up, Howe chained up the gate to the quarry to prevent them entering, claiming the quarry was her property (or rather Appleby's - the deeds to Station House are in Appleby's name alone, even though it was bought with the proceeds from her father's estate).

The quarry and the house were both previouosly owned by Booth's ex-wife and her new husband, and NR had an agreement with them to access the quarry. Appleby mentions this several times as justification for claiming NR need to get his permission for access to the station, but the arrangement had nothing to do with the driveway, and the vendors' solicitor expressly said that the sale to Appleby was for the house alone, and not the quarry.

At a later date, during the period the station was closed (Nov 2023 - April 2025), some equipment was removed by Appleby from the station platform and stored in the shelter. This was recovered by Scotrail in July 2024.

The press to hail button was eventually installed at the end of March 2025, NR getting an overnight possesion to install it, and tactile paving, overnight, accessing the station by rail, and the station re-opened shortly afterwards when shortly.

I was there after March 2025, so either I didn't see it or it wasn't there any more.

In Ian/Elizabeth's recent video, from the 5:30 marker where Ian shows the station, there is no request stop button (or indeed as Ian rightly points out, any instructions on requesting trains stop):

 

[najaB]

In Ian/Elizabeth's recent video, from the 5:30 marker where Ian shows the station, there is no request stop button (or indeed as Ian rightly points out, any instructions on requesting trains stop)

And whose fault might that be...?

 

[Egg Centric]

Just want to make sure I'm clear in my understanding - the second half of that latest video is the protest they're on trial (might not be correct term) for in Wick?

 

[styles]

Just want to make sure I'm clear in my understanding - the second half of that latest video is the protest they're on trial (might not be correct term) for in Wick?

Correct.

 

[Egg Centric]

Correct.

Doesn't seem worth prison time to me, but what a ridiculous thing to do. Did they actually stop all the trains that day as they promised/threatened to?

 

[norbitonflyer]

They stopped four services that day, so they say.

Video now up of the second one - this one northbound - unit 158713.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Their newer video below is of 158713 (which I had linked previously)

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W56769/2024-03-01/detailed#allox_id=0

Doesn't seem worth prison time to me, but what a ridiculous thing to do. Did they actually stop all the trains that day as they promised/threatened to?

Quite a few trains lost a couple minutes in the area that day, so it's certainly reasonable.
Most of them recovered the delay, the far North line has some longer dwells in passing places.

 

[popeter45]

This reminds me of a couple of people I have encountered in my life who make trouble even though they are obviously in the wrong, and before you can get a resolution of the issue they start something even more outrageous, urgent and potentially damaging to distract you from the first.

Trump comes to mind too...

by the looks of their channel they already have started the next distraction

 

[Baxenden Bank]

Notice that the telephones to contact the signallers before using the crossing with a vehicle are in the ditch, which is probably why the TSR was in place.
He demonstrates, at the station, how to request a train to stop, but moves his arms which is not the approved way - you should hold your outstretched arm steady. Waving your arms is for emergencies.

Appleby has been very careful up to now to conceal his face, although there was one slip in one "vijeo" when it appeared reflected in a window. But in this video we get to see it at last.

I'm not sure there is an instructed way for passengers to request a station stop. Just to give a clear hand signal. Those of us used to catching buses may just stick an arm out, those used to hailing a London black cab may raise their arm above shoulder height. As an aside it would be useful if drivers would acknowledge the request!

 

[styles]

I'm not sure there is an instructed way for passengers to request a station stop. Just to give a clear hand signal. Those of us used to catching buses may just stick an arm out, those used to hailing a London black cab may raise their arm above shoulder height. As an aside it would be useful if drivers would acknowledge the request!

If we consider National Rail to be the authoritative source for passengers, here's what Google brings up:

This one

One web page, about Corkickle station, which says:

Level access onto a single platform, this is a request stop, please make the driver aware of your intentions to travel

I'm pretty sure the first time I used a request stop I inadvertently gave some form of official railway signal.

 

[duffield]

If we consider National Rail to be the authoritative source for passengers, here's what Google brings up:

This one

One web page, about Corcickle station, which says:



I'm pretty sure the first time I used a request stop I inadvertently gave some form of official railway signal.

Given the current weather, I think I'd just wave my umbrella!

 

[Jan Mayen]

More decades ago than I care to remember, I was told to hail a London bus (or train at a request stop) by putting my arm out at 90 degrees and a London taxi at 45 degrees. Keep arm there until acknowledged by driver.
Or knocked off by non-stopping train....

 

[Egg Centric]

Their newer video below is of 158713 (which I had linked previously)

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W56769/2024-03-01/detailed#allox_id=0

God knows what the poor train driver was thinking as she was being informed she had no legal right to be there. Looks like she's stifling back laughter at the crazy folk

 

[styles]

More decades ago than I care to remember, I was told to hail a London bus (or train at a request stop) by putting my arm out at 90 degrees and a London taxi at 45 degrees. Keep arm there until acknowledged by driver.
Or knocked off by non-stopping train....

I got on a number 18 London bus after flagging it down and the bus driver, politely, chuckled and informed me I didn't need to signal for buses in London. Way to stand out as a northerner!

 

[Egg Centric]

I got on a number 18 London bus after flagging it down and the bus driver, politely, chuckled and informed me I didn't need to signal for buses in London. Way to stand out as a northerner!

That's not quite true - there's a couple of hail and ride services.

 

[ainsworth74]

God knows what the poor train driver was thinking as she was being informed she had no legal right to be there. Looks like she's stifling back laughter at the crazy folk

I quite liked the conductor popping open the door, taking the scene in and then closing the doors up again very quickly after listening to a short bit of the rant

The driver though was a credit to ScotRail, no-way would I have been able to keep a professional exterior going through that lot

 

[norbitonflyer]

The driver though was a credit to ScotRail, no-way would I have been able to keep a professional exterior going through that lot

As an aside, I notice that all four train crew we see are female (both drivers, and the conductor and another person in the first train - we only see the hands of another person in the cab of the second train). Does the Far North Line have a higher proprtion of female train crew than is typical on National Rail?

 

[DerekC]

I got on a number 18 London bus after flagging it down and the bus driver, politely, chuckled and informed me I didn't need to signal for buses in London. Way to stand out as a northerner!

People still do, though - especially when an 18 is occupying the stop and the 341 you want to get on is approaching looking as if it might whiz past!

 

[AlterEgo]

These people are world class time wasters. A fine art.

 

[CarrotPie]

I'm not sure there is an instructed way for passengers to request a station stop. Just to give a clear hand signal. Those of us used to catching buses may just stick an arm out, those used to hailing a London black cab may raise their arm above shoulder height. As an aside it would be useful if drivers would acknowledge the request!

From watching All The Stations, I believe the official line is to "make your intent clear" - though how you do so is (probably deliberately) left up to interpretation! I can think of a few "creative" ways to do that...

 

[EYFanatic]

Trump comes to mind too.

So does that mean those silly hats actually mean "Make Altnabreac Great Again"? If thats the case, maybe Trump has a secret love for the UK rail scene we never knew about

#

Im just wondering when they will run out of all legal options to argue the point and case/cases.

Also, and I'm going by comments here as I can't load the video for some reason, I thought they had an injunction or something regarding not going on railway property hence why I'm surprised they were stopping trains or am I mistaken in this regard

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Also, and I'm going by comments here as I can't load the video for some reason, I thought they had an injunction or something regarding not going on railway property hence why I'm surprised they were stopping trains or am I mistaken in this regard

These videos are from 2024, and this incident is what cuased the injunction.

 

[EYFanatic]

These videos are from 2024, and this incident is what cuased the injunction.

Ah... That explains it

For some reason, my TPE service is blocking the YT vids from loading

 

[D6130]

Ah... That explains it

For some reason, my TPE service is blocking the YT vids from loading

On-train WiFi is usually not powerful enough to download photos or play videos. Try again at home....or in a pub or café.

 

[Haywain]

On-train WiFi is usually not powerful enough to download photos or play videos. Try again at home....or in a pub or café.

And it will often block certain types of content, or sites such as YouTube, in order to preserve bandwidth for other users.

 

[styles]

Also, and I'm going by comments here as I can't load the video for some reason, I thought they had an injunction or something regarding not going on railway property hence why I'm surprised they were stopping trains or am I mistaken in this regard

They were given bail conditions which prohibited them from going on any tracks, and from using the crossing when a train was due. That was as a result of the actions in these videos.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

So does that mean those silly hats actually mean "Make Altnabreac Great Again"? If thats the case, maybe Trump has a secret love for the UK rail scene we never knew about

#

Im just wondering when they will run out of all legal options to argue the point and case/cases.

Also, and I'm going by comments here as I can't load the video for some reason, I thought they had an injunction or something regarding not going on railway property hence why I'm surprised they were stopping trains or am I mistaken in this regard

No, they are produced by Sheriff Wilson and Lord Lake "Make Altnabreac Go Away'.

Never, if you are willing to be awkward enough there is always another argument. Hence vexatious litigants.

The injunction is as a result of the video'd actions or similar around the same time.

 

[ainsworth74]

With apologies for imposing but I wonder if someone would be able/willing to come up with a brief summary of where each of the various actions now are? Particularly the criminal case and the EE case? As entertaining as this all is it would be good to get a handle on what the current state of play actually is?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

With apologies for imposing but I wonder if someone would be able/willing to come up with a brief summary of where each of the various actions now are? Particularly the criminal case and the EE case? As entertaining as this all is it would be good to get a handle on what the current state of play actually is?

Wick is obstructing the crossing.
Inverness is contempt.
Edinburgh is English Electric, sorry EE/BT mast.
There are other things floating about in the background, all of Ms Howe's irregular motions submitted then withdrawn, attempts to have ownership issues re-opened. I don't have access to court decisions and detail so am never certain what is actually done and dusted and what may still have some life in it.

19-Feb-26​	Wick Sheriff Court (Criminal)	substantive case	last entry	SCS/2025-019562 / WI24000098
20-Feb-26​	Inverness Sheriff Court (Civil)		last entry
01-May-26​	Edinburgh Court of Session Outer House	witness statements to be submitted		COS/CA90-23
15-May-26​	Edinburgh Court of Session Outer House	supplementary statements to be submitted		COS/CA90-23
20-May-26​	Edinburgh Court of Session Outer House	pre-proof hearing		COS/CA90-23
30-Jun-26​	Edinburgh Court of Session Outer House	proof hearing - 4 days	last entry	COS/CA90-23	most likely final hearing, deadlines in May for final submissions