"D7666" wrote

The most extreme example i know of is this nonsense at Inverness.
There is absolutely no reason whatsoever to keep the ''bypass''line
legally open as a passenger line. No one in their right mind would
ever consider running a service that does not call at Inverness.

The Highland Railway did, in Summer timetables between 1911 and 1915. The
1150 am Perth to Inverness ran via Forres, but 'The Strathpeffer Express'
connected out of it at Aviemore, depart 2.30 pm, running non-stop to
Dingwall arr 4.00 pm and Strathpeffer arr 4.15 pm. It ran on Tuesdays only,
and in its last year started from Perth, calling only at Kingusiie,
Aviemore, Dingwall, and Strathpeffer.

But the much more valuable use of Rose Street curve was to enable
cross-platform connection between north and south trains, arriving trains
running through the curve, and backing in from Welsh's Bridge or Rose
Street.

Peter