Eighty four year old Archie Lockie was allowed out of Migdale Hospital for a few hours to officially open the new two-mile stretch of the A836 between Lairg Auction Mart and Achinduich in November 1996. Archie had suffered a neck injury following a fall at his home but nothing was going to stop him from attending the ceremony. He was chosen by local residents in recognition of his services to the community. He had been a long-serving signalman at Lairg Station and, on retirement, had looked after the Mart.