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Location notes
This location is situated on the Highland Mainline between Inverness and Culloden Moor.
Railway type and traffic
The Type of train usually found on this line are First Scotrail 158s and 170s there is also the daily Caledonian Sleeper service which departs Inverness at 20:40 and returns at 08:30 Mon-Fri and 08:04 on Saturdays and that it hauled by an DB Schenker 67. There is also the daily G.N.E.R service to London Kings Cross which departs Inverness at 07:55 Mon-Fri and 09:40 on Sundays. It returns at 20:08 Mon-Fri and 20:46 on Sundays.
There are also various freights which run. Firstly there is the Tesco/Safeway train to Inverness which is booked to arrive into Inverness around 05:30 and it returns south at 11:20 with the empty parcel vans in tow. This provides at class 66 on the northbound run and a 66 and 67 on the return run. The parcels arrived into Inverness around 09:00. Once a week there is the Cement from Oxwellmains which has a Heavy Haul 66 at the helm.
There are also various freights which run. Firstly there is the Tesco/Safeway train to Inverness which is booked to arrive into Inverness around 05:30 and it returns south at 11:20 with the empty parcel vans in tow. This provides at class 66 on the northbound run and a 66 and 67 on the return run. The parcels arrived into Inverness around 09:00. Once a week there is the Cement from Oxwellmains which has a Heavy Haul 66 at the helm.
Environment
This location is situated in a field about 1/2 mile from the Smithton area of Inverness.
Road directions
From the A9 Inverness Raigmore Interchange:
Follow signs for A96 Aberdeen road and follow this road to the second roundabout then take the second exit and follow signs for Culloden and Smithton. You got up this road for about 1/2 mile then there is a turnoff to the right for Smithton follow this road up passed the Morning Noon and Night Shop and the road goes to the left. You should take the road that goes straight ahead and follow it down until you come to a bridge with a gate under it and that is you there.
Now it is on foot you will see a farm track the goes between two houses and there is a gate into the field and that is your there.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Cradlehall - Inverness map co-ordinates
Follow signs for A96 Aberdeen road and follow this road to the second roundabout then take the second exit and follow signs for Culloden and Smithton. You got up this road for about 1/2 mile then there is a turnoff to the right for Smithton follow this road up passed the Morning Noon and Night Shop and the road goes to the left. You should take the road that goes straight ahead and follow it down until you come to a bridge with a gate under it and that is you there.
Now it is on foot you will see a farm track the goes between two houses and there is a gate into the field and that is your there.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Cradlehall - Inverness map co-ordinates
Parking
You can park your car at the side of the road just beside the Railway Bridge.
Public transport
This would be the better way to get to this location from Inverness City Centre and beyond.
From Edinburgh or Glasgow First Scotrail run trains to Inverness roughly every 2 hours for times visit the National Rail website
From Inverness City Centre to here get the Stagecoach Inverness number 1, 2, 3 or 3A from Queensgate Post Office and ask for Smithton the fare is about £1.30 for an Adult Single, the number 1 and 2 buses leave the City Centre at 05, 25, 45 minutes past each hour for most of the day. The number 3 and 3A leave from the Post Office as well and depart at 05, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55 minutes past each hour for most of the day but visit Stagecoach for more info.
There are also various coaches from Central Scotland, North West England and West Midlands:
West Midlands for info on these services visit Megabus
For Edinburgh / Glasgow and Perth Broxden Park and Ride - Inverness low cost service, Citylink
For coach services from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth City Centre-Inverness National Express for coaches from West Midlands, London and North West-Inverness.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
From Edinburgh or Glasgow First Scotrail run trains to Inverness roughly every 2 hours for times visit the National Rail website
From Inverness City Centre to here get the Stagecoach Inverness number 1, 2, 3 or 3A from Queensgate Post Office and ask for Smithton the fare is about £1.30 for an Adult Single, the number 1 and 2 buses leave the City Centre at 05, 25, 45 minutes past each hour for most of the day. The number 3 and 3A leave from the Post Office as well and depart at 05, 15, 25, 35, 45 and 55 minutes past each hour for most of the day but visit Stagecoach for more info.
There are also various coaches from Central Scotland, North West England and West Midlands:
West Midlands for info on these services visit Megabus
For Edinburgh / Glasgow and Perth Broxden Park and Ride - Inverness low cost service, Citylink
For coach services from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Perth City Centre-Inverness National Express for coaches from West Midlands, London and North West-Inverness.
Click here to set up your location for directions to this location
Amenities
There are no toilets anywhere near this trainspot. The nearest place to get a snack would be The Morning Noon and Night Shop in Smithton Village. There is also a Burger King and Pizza Hut in the nearby Retail Park which is on the A96 about 1 1/2 miles from here.
Accommodation
For Accomodation info go to Visit Scotland
Sun Compass
Sun Compass using Suncalc by brought to you by Vladimir Agafonkin:
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Cradlehall - Inverness
Streetmap links
Cradlehall - Inverness general view map
Cradlehall - Inverness close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Cradlehall - Inverness
It might be necessary to adjust the time to suit your visit, this link should open with the current day.
Cradlehall - Inverness
Googly map
Cradlehall - Inverness general view map
Cradlehall - Inverness close up map
Windows Local Live Link - image quality may vary
Cradlehall - Inverness
Who likes this location on facebook
Railway Gen Group
Photographic notes
The field is completly open apart from the approach track which is covered by trees.
General views - All photographs © David Ross unless otherwise stated
Fig 1 -
Disclaimer
All information contained within this is site is © Trainspots. The images used on this site remain the property of the original photographer, as credited at the top of the page, and are used with their kind permission.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
The information on these pages is supplied for the benefit of railway enthusiasts who carry out a harmless hobby, and through the medium of photography and video, actually promote the railway industry. Railway enthusiasts can also act as eyes and ears against railway vandalism, and as such should surely be encouraged to do so by the supply of adequate information such as is found on this website.
This site has been created to assist railway photographers in their travels around the country. It is based on the personal knowledge and experience. No liability can be held against the web site or its contributions for incorrect information. Trainspots will endeavour to check all information and corrections will be accepted and posted accordingly.
Advice as to the locations general environment is given as a guide on each page. This information is a GUIDE only. ALWAYS be careful with your equipment, Trainspots can not be held responsible for your personal security. Avoid leaving your property on display for all to see, be aware of your surroundings at all times. There are, sadly, people who will not think twice about trying to steal your equipment.
Trainspots DOES NOT condone trespass and none of the information on this site should be taken as a right to trespass on either railway or private land. To the best of our knowledge all locations are publicly accessible areas, where they are not contact information will be given to the appropriate authority for permission to be obtained.
The content of this site is created and intended for all age ranges but the content of sites linked from this site are not subject to the same intentions. Trainspots will attempt to check links for validity but as time passes and the site grows this will not always be possible. Broken, or indeed updates to, links should be submitted to the editor for inclusion in the updates. All links external to the Trainspots site are opened in a new browser window. Trainspots has been running now for over 10 years and there are imitation sites and guides to railfotspots. But we are a free site and we continue on the path we started out on over a decade ago to provide a useful guide to UK Railway Photographic Locations.
