diff --git a/src/saveload/misc_sl.cpp b/src/saveload/misc_sl.cpp
--- a/src/saveload/misc_sl.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/misc_sl.cpp
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ static const SaveLoadGlobVarList _date_d
 	SLEG_CONDVAR(_cur_tileloop_tile,      SLE_FILE_U16 | SLE_VAR_U32,  0, 5),
 	SLEG_CONDVAR(_cur_tileloop_tile,      SLE_UINT32,                  6, SL_MAX_VERSION),
 	    SLEG_VAR(_disaster_delay,         SLE_UINT16),
-	    SLEG_VAR(_station_tick_ctr,       SLE_UINT16),
+	SLE_CONDNULL(2, 0, 119),
 	    SLEG_VAR(_random.state[0],        SLE_UINT32),
 	    SLEG_VAR(_random.state[1],        SLE_UINT32),
 	SLEG_CONDVAR(_cur_town_ctr,           SLE_FILE_U8  | SLE_VAR_U32,  0, 9),
diff --git a/src/saveload/oldloader_sl.cpp b/src/saveload/oldloader_sl.cpp
--- a/src/saveload/oldloader_sl.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/oldloader_sl.cpp
@@ -1707,8 +1707,7 @@ static const OldChunks main_chunk[] = {
 
 	OCL_CNULL( OC_TTD, 144 ),             ///< AI cargo-stuff, calculated in InitializeLandscapeVariables
 	OCL_NULL( 2 ),               ///< Company indexes of companies, no longer in use
-
-	OCL_VAR ( OC_FILE_U8 | OC_VAR_U16,    1, &_station_tick_ctr ),
+	OCL_NULL( 1 ),               ///< Station tick counter, no longer in use
 
 	OCL_VAR (  OC_UINT8,    1, &_settings_game.locale.currency ),
 	OCL_VAR (  OC_UINT8,    1, &_settings_game.locale.units ),
diff --git a/src/saveload/station_sl.cpp b/src/saveload/station_sl.cpp
--- a/src/saveload/station_sl.cpp
+++ b/src/saveload/station_sl.cpp
@@ -195,9 +195,6 @@ static void Load_STNS()
 
 		SaveLoad_STNS(st);
 	}
-
-	/* This is to ensure all pointers are within the limits of _stations_size */
-	if (_station_tick_ctr > GetMaxStationIndex()) _station_tick_ctr = 0;
 }
 
 static void Save_ROADSTOP()
diff --git a/src/station_cmd.cpp b/src/station_cmd.cpp
--- a/src/station_cmd.cpp
+++ b/src/station_cmd.cpp
@@ -2699,7 +2699,11 @@ static VehicleEnterTileStatus VehicleEnt
 	return VETSB_CONTINUE;
 }
 
-/* this function is called for one station each tick */
+/**
+ * This function is called for each station once every 250 ticks.
+ * Not all stations will get the tick at the same time.
+ * @param st the station receiving the tick.
+ */
 static void StationHandleBigTick(Station *st)
 {
 	UpdateStationAcceptance(st, true);
@@ -2839,11 +2843,6 @@ void OnTick_Station()
 {
 	if (_game_mode == GM_EDITOR) return;
 
-	uint i = _station_tick_ctr;
-	if (++_station_tick_ctr > GetMaxStationIndex()) _station_tick_ctr = 0;
-
-	if (Station::IsValidID(i)) StationHandleBigTick(Station::Get(i));
-
 	Station *st;
 	FOR_ALL_STATIONS(st) {
 		StationHandleSmallTick(st);
@@ -2852,6 +2851,7 @@ void OnTick_Station()
 		 * Station index is included so that triggers are not all done
 		 * at the same time. */
 		if ((_tick_counter + st->index) % 250 == 0) {
+			StationHandleBigTick(st);
 			StationAnimationTrigger(st, st->xy, STAT_ANIM_250_TICKS);
 		}
 	}
@@ -3211,8 +3211,6 @@ void InitializeStations()
 	/* Clean the roadstop pool and create 1 block in it */
 	_RoadStop_pool.CleanPool();
 	_RoadStop_pool.AddBlockToPool();
-
-	_station_tick_ctr = 0;
 }
 
 static CommandCost TerraformTile_Station(TileIndex tile, DoCommandFlag flags, uint z_new, Slope tileh_new)
diff --git a/src/variables.h b/src/variables.h
--- a/src/variables.h
+++ b/src/variables.h
@@ -18,10 +18,6 @@ VARDEF byte _age_cargo_skip_counter;
 /* Also save scrollpos_x, scrollpos_y and zoom */
 VARDEF uint16 _disaster_delay;
 
-/* Determines what station to operate on in the
- *  tick handler. */
-VARDEF uint16 _station_tick_ctr;
-
 /* Determines how often to run the tree loop */
 VARDEF byte _trees_tick_ctr;