Helmsdale Station
The station buildings, a footbridge and the former 'Helmsdale South' signal box still stand. This is a two platform station with a passing loop. There is a siding to the north of the station.
The 'Helmsdale North' signal box has been demolished. The Sutherland and Caithness railway extended the Duke of Sutherland's Railway north to Thurso and Wick from Helmsdale.
The current station was the new terminus on the extension of the line from West Helmsdale opened in 1871.
Helmsdale locomotive depot, 1958
Here are some of the drivers, firemen and cleaners at the locomotive depot in Helmsdale in 1958.
Left to right: S Munro, J Sutherland, R McAngus,
T Watson (shedmaster) W Cormack, I Raffan, D Booth, J Sutherland,
K Ross, A Sutherland, J Hutcheson, A McAngus and R Sutherland.
The depot closed in 1963.
Helmsdale Shed 1939
Helmsdale Station June 1949
Helmsdale Station 1953
This photo of Helmsdale station above is dated 15/05/1956
This photo of Helmsdale station above is dated 22/08/1957.
Helmsdale Station on 3/7/1957
Helmsdale Signal Box 1960’s
Helmsdale Station & P.O. Mail Van
This photo of Helmsdale station above is dated 1961.
Helmsdale Station
This photo of Helmsdale station above is dated 1961
Helmsdale Station looking towards Inverness.
Left to Right engines nos. D5129 & D5538.
This photo above is dated 18/04/1961.
A train for Wick is on the left.
Lms Pickersgill class 3P No 54495 seen here at Helmsdale on 18th April 1961
Steam Locomotive, No. HR103 entering Helmsdale Station on The SLS/RCTS Scottish Tour - 15.6.62.
Diesel D5320 near Helmsdale Station Box
Helmsdale Station 1968
54495 Helmsdale Station
54495 banking a passenger train at Helmsdale
The last steam engine was withdrawn second week of Jan 1961.
It was a class 5 MT, better known as a Black 5, they were built by an engineer called William Stanier, there were 800 of them built, and were used all over Briton.
Those engines were maintained in engine sheds Wick, Thurso. Helmsdale, Tain, Dingwall, Inverness, where hundreds of people were employed.
Each engine shed had its own unique number I/E 65a, 65b etc, Helmsdale was 65C.
No 54495(90) Helmsdale station 17/08/1960
54496 at Helmsdale
54495 at Helmsdale 3/7/1955
Helmsdale 3/7/1955
Tain Shed - sub shed to 60C Helmsdale 17-8-55.
Helmsdale Station 60C Helmsdale Shed 17/8/55
GW pannier tank, 1646
GW pannier tanks, 1646 and 1649, photographed slightly north of Ebbw Vale, at Helmsdale, almost certainly taken in 1962. These two locos were sent to the far North allegedly to work the Mound to Dornoch Branch, but if the truth was known they were only sent there to make life difficult for Western region train spotters to clear the 16xx class of locos They have finished their stint on this branch in this photograph and are in temporary store, pending moving South to Perth, who were at a loss what to do with them and thus sent them to Cowlairs for scrap.
Kinbrace Station near Helmsdale
If you have any old photos of Helmsdale Station or stories about the station please contact me at webmaster@helmsdale.org