27's in the Highlands

[Taunton]

Long waits in Inverness were par for the course if going further north/west, as the connections from the morning train from Glasgow/Edinburgh arriving 14.xx in Inverness were the evening (17.xx) trains to Kyle and the North.

I've written before that when I was in Edinburgh in the 1970s a friend was from Wick, and described this; they said the real issue was if you forgot that Wednesday afternoons were early closing day (another long-gone concept) in Inverness, when absolutely everything, shops, cafes, was closed. It was actually common for people to go the cinema during the long wait! (that was closed on Wednesday afternoons as well ). I think the wait was more than three hours.

I think it was about 1976-7 that this issue was sorted out, and the morning train from Edinburgh connected directly for Wick.

An interesting sideline about knowing people from Wick was their expression that they were "going down south". It meant they were going to Inverness!

Inverness was the principal large place for the Hebrides, people from Stornoway went there for mainstream issues like the major hospital, lawyers, etc. Long term jobs and universities were Glasgow (principally) or Edinburgh, but these were regarded almost as overseas journeys. By the time the ship docked at Mallaig the Kyle train was most of the way to Inverness.

 

[hexagon789]

How times have changed , I remember in the 70's on the far North line 6 passenger coach formations , hauled by a single 26 or 24, didnt half make some noise climbing northbound to Lairg summit. Standing in the 1st coach beside an open droplight it was pure music.

I think they were still 6 into the 1980s, 4 for Wick/2 for Thurso

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I think they were still 6 into the 1980s, 4 for Wick/2 for Thurso

The early train was interesting over the years with, in the late seventies, load 8 in winter 9 in summer, including 4 BGs on the front, 3 of which came off the overnight from the south.
The leading BG was Wick, then 3 BG Thurso and 2 coaches each for Thurso, and on the rear for Wick, with a third coach added to one of these in summer. At Georgemas the Wick coaches were detached in rear of the junction and left standing whilst the loco drew forward and the Thurso loco came on to pull that portion clear of the junction, then the loco backed down with the Wick BG onto the remaining coaches, drew into the platform for a brief pause then away to Wick.
The marshalling may seem strange, but the train was already platformed when the overnight arrived and the vans were then put on the front before departure.

The overnight had of course come round the Rose St curve where it stopped to detach these and other vans to enable the train to then draw forward and reverse into one of the north platforms - it would otherwise have been much too long - whilst the vans were shunted onto another platform, and those for the north then attached to that train and those for Kyle attached to the freight (or mixed depending on the day of the week) which then ran forward to Dingwall.

 

[Richard Scott]

I think they were still 6 into the 1980s, 4 for Wick/2 for Thurso

Definitely was that exact formation in 1988 when I did it.

 

[delt1c]

I remember once travelling from Edinburgh , on arrival at Inverness the train took the Rose St Curve and reversed into the far North platform where it became a service north

 

[Cheshire Scot]

I remember once travelling from Edinburgh , on arrival at Inverness the train took the Rose St Curve and reversed into the far North platform where it became a service north

Depending on your era of travel the stock from the 06.55 from Perth formed the Kyle train about half an hour later. it is possible the stock from the overnight may have formed a North train in some eras.

Southbound most of the trains from the north and Kyle took the Rose St curve then reversed into the south platforms, two advantages, cross platform interchange (usually), and quick release of loc.

 

[Gloster]

The early train was interesting over the years with, in the late seventies, load 8 in winter 9 in summer, including 4 BGs on the front, 3 of which came off the overnight from the south.
The leading BG was Wick, then 3 BG Thurso and 2 coaches each for Thurso, and on the rear for Wick, with a third coach added to one of these in summer. At Georgemas the Wick coaches were detached in rear of the junction and left standing whilst the loco drew forward and the Thurso loco came on to pull that portion clear of the junction, then the loco backed down with the Wick BG onto the remaining coaches, drew into the platform for a brief pause then away to Wick.

My recollection is that, when I first travelled the line in 1977, after the splitting at Georgemas as mentioned above, most of the train went to Thurso. All that went to Wick was two coaches, the Buffet (RMB?) and a CK or BCK, and a few vans. I think that the buffet had gone to Thurso until around 1974.

 

[hexagon789]

The early train was interesting over the years with, in the late seventies, load 8 in winter 9 in summer, including 4 BGs on the front, 3 of which came off the overnight from the south.
The leading BG was Wick, then 3 BG Thurso and 2 coaches each for Thurso, and on the rear for Wick, with a third coach added to one of these in summer. At Georgemas the Wick coaches were detached in rear of the junction and left standing whilst the loco drew forward and the Thurso loco came on to pull that portion clear of the junction, then the loco backed down with the Wick BG onto the remaining coaches, drew into the platform for a brief pause then away to Wick.
The marshalling may seem strange, but the train was already platformed when the overnight arrived and the vans were then put on the front before departure.

The overnight had of course come round the Rose St curve where it stopped to detach these and other vans to enable the train to then draw forward and reverse into one of the north platforms - it would otherwise have been much too long - whilst the vans were shunted onto another platform, and those for the north then attached to that train and those for Kyle attached to the freight (or mixed depending on the day of the week) which then ran forward to Dingwall.

That's quite a lot of BGs!

Definitely was that exact formation in 1988 when I did it.

I think it was typically BG+3 TSO to Wick and BSOT+TSO to Thurso by then, the odd SK substituting for a TSO which were often a mix of Mk2Z and Mk1.

My recollection is that, when I first travelled the line in 1977, after the splitting at Georgemas as mentioned above, most of the train went to Thurso. All that went to Wick was two coaches, the Buffet (RMB?) and a CK or BCK, and a few vans. I think that the buffet had gone to Thurso until around 1974.

It seems to have switched at some point. I'll look through some carriage working books at some point but it seemed to go full circle.

Most coaches to Wick in the 1960s, portion of a couple of coaches to Thurso, then Thurso seemed to get the bulk of the train for part of the 1970s, then it seemed to switch back again to Wick getting the most coaches. Not sure of the reasoning

 

[MrEd]

In one of the earlier videos, the man looking after the level crossing shows a flag. Why does he need to do this?

I thought it was blue, but presume it’s green, and just looks bluish because of the old film stock?

It’s meant to be a green flag- perhaps it had faded in the sun, who knows? The level crossing is at Balnacra between Achnashellach and Strathcarron, over the A890 Achnasheen-Kyle road (the slightly hairy ‘north route’ as folk call it). Most road traffic between Inverness and Lochalsh/Skye these days uses the Glenshiel route which is a high-quality single carriageway all the way, although back then there wasn’t much to choose between the two. This was not automated until late 1984. Balnacra was not a block post and there were no block instruments/no link from the crossing keeper’s hut/cottage to the signalling system, so the only way for the crossing keeper to signal to the driver that it was clear for him to proceed across the crossing was to show a green flag (he would have a red one too in case of trouble).

The driver of the 26 would typically slow to about 15mph to give the crossing keeper time to shut the gates to road traffic (the keeper would rely on hearing the train/seeing it in the distance). He would then let the speed fall (prepared to stop if necessary) until he saw the green flag and as soon as he saw that, full power went back on with a friendly wave and blow of the horn.

Presumably a good way to make economies on signalling until such time as the crossing could be automated. This was probably a relatively common set-up on a number of rural branch lines (especially as it was less time-consuming than requiring the train crew to operate the crossing).

 

[Cheshire Scot]

My recollection is that, when I first travelled the line in 1977, after the splitting at Georgemas as mentioned above, most of the train went to Thurso. All that went to Wick was two coaches, the Buffet (RMB?) and a CK or BCK, and a few vans. I think that the buffet had gone to Thurso until around 1974.

That matches my recollection.

'67 timetable shows the buffet on both morning trains going to Thurso, but by '73 both trains took the buffet to Wick - I have no detail for the years in between.

That's quite a lot of BGs!

There was a lot of mail and parcels plus newspapers going by rail - there were of course no couriers back then, the Post Office took the lot. And a quite a few vans on the morning Kyle too. I have no idea how well they were loaded on either route but I do recall quantities being unloaded at most stations.
All the mail etc for the North West was conveyed to Lairg, and on the Kyle line various outlying areas would by detrained at Garve, Achnasheen and Strathcarron.

There are published photos of the north train with 4 BGs on the front, I'll see if I can locate one.

The overnight attached 6 x BG at Perth as well as bringing two from Queen St and one in the Edinburgh portion.

Balnacra was not a block post and there were no block instruments/no link from the crossing keeper’s hut/cottage to the signalling system, so the only way for the crossing keeper to signal to the driver that it was clear for him to proceed across the crossing was to show a green flag (he would have a red one too in case of trouble).

I always thought the arrangement at Balnacra was quite cute, in other areas crossing keepers often had a small ground frame with signals - one even survives today at Norbury Crossing on the Buxton line although there the frame is inside a building. I'd guess that level of expenditure may have been took much for the Dingwall and Skye Railway although I am trying to remember what the arrangement was on the Kyle line level crossing in Dingwall, I think it had signals.

 

[Gloster]

I have been wondering whether that is a ground-frame visible just beyond the gatepost, ‘below’ the flag. It could control the Distant signals, which would avoid the train having to slow down too much. The flag would be needed as, with the gates across the road, there is otherwise no positive indication of what the Distant is associated with: it is, in effect, replacing a Stop signal.

 

[MrEd]

That matches my recollection.

'67 timetable shows the buffet on both morning trains going to Thurso, but by '73 both trains took the buffet to Wick - I have no detail for the years in between.

There was a lot of mail and parcels plus newspapers going by rail - there were of course no couriers back then, the Post Office took the lot. And a quite a few vans on the morning Kyle too. I have no idea how well they were loaded on either route but I do recall quantities being unloaded at most stations.
All the mail etc for the North West was conveyed to Lairg, and on the Kyle line various outlying areas would by detrained at Garve, Achnasheen and Strathcarron.

There are published photos of the north train with 4 BGs on the front, I'll see if I can locate one.

The overnight attached 6 x BG at Perth as well as bringing two from Queen St and one in the Edinburgh portion.


I always thought the arrangement at Balnacra was quite cute, in other areas crossing keepers often had a small ground frame with signals - one even survives today at Norbury Crossing on the Buxton line although there the frame is inside a building. I'd guess that level of expenditure may have been took much for the Dingwall and Skye Railway although I am trying to remember what the arrangement was on the Kyle line level crossing in Dingwall, I think it had signals.

I can’t remember what happened on those crossings west of Dingwall. Were they not automated quite early if I remember? I seem to think that Achterneed (which crossed only a minor road) was an open crossing with no gates at all until it became an AOCL in the 1980s (probably at the same time as Balnacra). Strathcarron crossing had lifting barriers and lights controlled from the signal box from the early 70s onwards, and became an ABCL operated by a plunger when the signal box closed. Garve did not have a level crossing until 1989 (when it replaced a weak and narrow bridge)- this has always been an ABCL I think. Blackwood level crossing between Balnacra and Strathcarron, and Duirinish level crossing were UWCs (user-worked) until 2007 and 2014 respectively, I seem to remember. Apart from that, I can’t think of any other crossings on the line. The Balnacra crossing keeper in the 70s and 80s was an artist in his spare time, I seem to recall.

If you’re familiar with the BR Motive Power Panorama book from the late 1970s, you’ll see a picture of 26034 at Golspie with the northbound 06.15 Inverness to Wick/Thurso with 4 BGs at the front; this picture must have been taken in/around 1978/9.

Garve back then served as the railhead for a large area of northern Ross-shire (specifically Dundonnell, Loch Broom, Ullapool and the Wester Ross Coast from Little Loch Broom as far as the Sutherland county march). Achnasheen was the railhead for Kinlochewe, Torridon, Diabaig, Gairloch, Poolewe, Aultbea, Laide and the surrounding districts, while Strathcarron was the railhead for Lochcarron, the Applecross peninsula and Shieldaig. This is still reflected in the fact that these areas all have the same postcode (IV22 Achnasheen, IV23 Garve, IV54 Strathcarron), from the stations right out to the western townships, even though the mail no longer travels by train.

I have been wondering whether that is a ground-frame visible just beyond the gatepost, ‘below’ the flag. It could control the Distant signals, which would avoid the train having to slow down too much. The flag would be needed as, with the gates across the road, there is otherwise no positive indication of what the Distant is associated with: it is, in effect, replacing a Stop signal.

There’s a point, did it have distant signals? I can’t remember. Perhaps it did- but something tells me they were fixed. Then again, I’m not sure what makes me think that. @Cheshire Scot will probably remember much better than I can.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

There’s a point, did it have distant signals? I can’t remember. Perhaps it did- but something tells me they were fixed. Then again, I’m not sure what makes me think that. @Cheshire Scot will probably remember much better than I can.

The ground frame perhaps released the crossing gates. With no stop signal there could not have been a distant signal, unless possibly a 'fixed' distant in which case no lever required.

There are published photos of the north train with 4 BGs on the front, I'll see if I can locate one.

Here are two of the several photos I have found. These from 'BR North of the Border'.

With minimal access to major High Street stores many people in the Highlands shopped by mail order from catalogues - even as the regional capital Inverness didn't have Marks and Spencer until around 1980 - which would generate a volume of parcel post disproportionate to the population, not only the good ordered, but also the catalogues themselves. Bolton was one origin for catalogue mail order traffic, loading many vans every day.

 

[D6130]

With no stop signal there could not have been a distant signal, unless possibly a 'fixed' distant in which case no lever required.

Technically true.....but the red lights on the crossing gates count as stop signals - as do the red lights on bufferstops. If there were distant signals, it would be a case of: gates closed across railway - distant signal 'on'; gates closed across road - distant signal can be cleared with no delay to train. I believe that there are - or probably were - several crossings worked in that way on various branch lines in East Anglia and Lincolnshire. Also on Irish Rail (IE) there are still quite a few manually-operated crossings on single lines where the stop signals are the red lights on the gates and the distant signals are worked automatically by wires attached to the heel of the gates. Therefore, when the gates are closed across the road, you have the slightly disconcerting sight of the distant signals (usually lower quadrant semaphores, but sometimes two aspect colour lights) being 'off' for both directions at the same time.

 

[XAM2175]

I thought it was blue, but presume it’s green, and just looks bluish because of the old film stock?

It’s meant to be a green flag- perhaps it had faded in the sun, who knows?

Most colour films at the time were somewhat less sensitive to the green portion of the spectrum than they were to blue, and the effect can appear to be heightened over time if - as is not unknown - the yellow layer of the emulsion fades faster than the cyan and magenta. I do suspect also though that the flag wasn't a particularly strong green at the time it was photographed, especially when comparing it with the hillside in the background.

 

[Bald Rick]

The ground frame perhaps released the crossing gates. With no stop signal there could not have been a distant signal, unless possibly a 'fixed' distant in which case no lever required.

As @D6130 says, a closed (to rail) Level Crossing Gate with a red disc / lamp can act as a fixed red signal. The two Lingwood crossings in Norfolk both had a worked distant on approach, with no separate ‘Stop’ signal. There was only one distant on approach applicable to both crossings. The levers on the Down were outdoors. The distant could only be pulled off if both crossings were closed to the road, keys inserted in the instruments, and both crossing release levers reversed. Gone now since resignalling.

 

[matchmaker]

As @D6130 says, a closed (to rail) Level Crossing Gate with a red disc / lamp can act as a fixed red signal. The two Lingwood crossings in Norfolk both had a worked distant on approach, with no separate ‘Stop’ signal. There was only one distant on approach applicable to both crossings. The levers on the Down were outdoors. The distant could only be pulled off if both crossings were closed to the road, keys inserted in the instruments, and both crossing release levers reversed. Gone now since resignalling.

If you read the report on the Balmuckety Crossing accident near Kirriemuir in 1946, it is clearly mentioned that the only worked signals for the crossing were up and down distants. Same arrangement as above.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Technically true.....but the red lights on the crossing gates count as stop signals - as do the red lights on bufferstops. If there were distant signals, it would be a case of: gates closed across railway - distant signal 'on'; gates closed across road - distant signal can be cleared with no delay to train. I believe that there are - or probably were - several crossings worked in that way on various branch lines in East Anglia and Lincolnshire. Also on Irish Rail (IE) there are still quite a few manually-operated crossings on single lines where the stop signals are the red lights on the gates and the distant signals are worked automatically by wires attached to the heel of the gates. Therefore, when the gates are closed across the road, you have the slightly disconcerting sight of the distant signals (usually lower quadrant semaphores, but sometimes two aspect colour lights) being 'off' for both directions at the same time.

Thanks for that D6130, that makes absolute sense.

 

[hexagon789]

Also on Irish Rail (IE) there are still quite a few manually-operated crossings on single lines where the stop signals are the red lights on the gates and the distant signals are worked automatically by wires attached to the heel of the gates. Therefore, when the gates are closed across the road, you have the slightly disconcerting sight of the distant signals (usually lower quadrant semaphores, but sometimes two aspect colour lights) being 'off' for both directions at the same time.

They also have a sort of fixed distant marker as well for many of the ones in Ireland. When they did a safety audit some 20 years ago they found many of the braking distances were deficient so they put in markers which drivers must apply the brakes at assuming a stop at the level crossing unless they can see the distant for the crossing is off. I don't think the same thing has ever been done here.

 

[Inversnecky]

Not in the Highlands, but this was posted elsewhere, showing the famous tiers of withdrawn 27s:

vic berry scrapyard

www.derbysulzers.com