Blair Atholl

[Translink]

Not sure where, but I once read that when the Inverness and Perth junction railway were building what currently is the Highland Mainline they wanted to build their line through land belonging to the Duke of Atholl. He only agreed under the condition that a station be built at Blair Atholl and every train, be it an express passenger, express mails whatever it may be must stop at the station, regardless, and subsequently to this day all trains that pass through Blair Atholl stop.

Is there any truth in that?

[Pilot]

Is there any truth in that?

Simple answer, no, or at least on the part on it being to this day. Here's an example of an Express Passenger not stopping there . Stations it stop at are in Blue, places it passes are in Grey, as you can see, Blair Atholl is Grey in this. From a train planning point of view, I've not see this particular rule, and it would be a silly one to have on a 21st Century railway, where trains can weigh several hundred tonnes, and take several miles to get up to Line speed.

[piratescooby]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blair_Ath ... ay_station .

[Dave]

Stockport a better example. When Virgin and XC tried to withdraw stops in 2008 I'm almost certain the town pointed to legislation about the adjacent viaduct and trains that use it must stop.

I actually think they've relented now and a couple of services omit Stockport despite using the viaduct.

[Pilot]

Stockport a better example. When Virgin and XC tried to withdraw stops in 2008 I'm almost certain the town pointed to legislation about the adjacent viaduct and trains that use it must stop.

I actually think they've relented now and a couple of services omit Stockport despite using the viaduct.

It was the DfT Draft Timetable that decided to withdraw the stops at Stockport on the XC services, which started in December 2008, but the stops were reinstated in March 2009.

There are a couple of trains, that don't stop, I think there is ThFO Virgin service that doesn't stop, as well as a Northern, Buxton - Man Picc service.