guard to arrange for the train to stop. If there are no passengers wishing to get on or off the train, it will pass through without stopping. Since 2000, trains to and from Wick have run via Thurso. On arrival at Georgemas Junction from Inverness, trains reverse to serve Thurso, then reverse again from Thurso to run back to Georgemas Junction (stopping there for a second time) and continue on to Wick. This procedure is mirrored for Inverness-bound services. Services between Inverness and Wick typically have a journey time of about 4 hours 20 minutes end-to-end. Freight has been used for freight handling and had a new railhead opened in 2012 for the transportation of nuclear flasks, but the terminal has not attracted any commercial operators since. In 2020, a trial project funded by a £195,000 grant from the Scottish Government saw timber transported from Georgemas Junction to a processing facility near Inverness by Victa Railfreight. Previous services 1923–1948 (London Midland and Scottish Railway) The London, Midland and Scottish Railway introduced two titled trains in 1936, the Orcadian and John O'Groat. 1948–1997 (British Rail Scottish Region) In 1963, the line was listed for closure on the Beeching Report; however, the Far North Line remained open due to pressure from protesters. Following the elimination of steam traction by the early 1960s, trains on the line were normally hauled by Inverness allocated Class 24 diesel locomotives (D5114-32), then subsequently by Class 26 diesel locomotives. In the 1980s these were replaced by more powerful Class 37 locomotives, still with Mark 1 rolling stock. These were replaced by Class 156s in the 1990s by British Rail, then by Class 158 units (branded as Express Sprinters). Three trains each way per day (Mon-Sat) was the standard service pattern at this time. 1997–2004 (ScotRail) The service provided by ScotRail replicated that provided in the latter years of BR Scottish Region. ScotRail was owned by ScotRail (National Express) until 17 October 2004 when First ScotRail took over the franchise. Until 2000, when the line was served by s, trains to Caithness were split at – one half of the train would continue to and the other to . This practice ended when s were introduced on the line, adopting the current calling pattern. 2005–2015 (First ScotRail) Along the full length of the line there were four services each way Monday to Saturday, including a service allowing a