THE STEAM RAILWAY WESTERN SCOTLAND
Published by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd. £14.95
C O M P I L E D B Y AV E R Y, M A X T O N E & D AV I D S O N
W A C ‘Bill’ Smith was a prolific photographer of steam locomotives, Clyde Steamers and trams. He travelled extensively throughout Scotland during the 1950s and 1960s recording the changes as the older pre-grouping steam classes disappeared to be replaced by the new Standard types and the even more modern diesel power. In so doing he also photographed much of the infrastructure dating back to the pre-group Scottish railways which was similarly being demolished or replaced at the time. His other claim to fame was as the organiser of many rail tours which covered Scotland in the same period. Bill’s images encompass much variety, from the graceful Great North of Scotland 4-4-0s usually in beautifully clean condition to the work stained North British 0-6-0s many of which, with long working lives, ended their days carrying out the same duties they were originally designed for - hauling trains of coal around Fife. Former Caledonian Railway locomotives are also seen with the ubiquitous 0-4-4 tanks on branch lines and many 0-6-0s moving goods traffic. The workhorses of passenger traffic, LNER B1s, V2s and LMS Black 5s as well as examples of express power are also portrayed.
THE STEAM RAILWAY WESTERN SCOTLAND
Compiled by Bob Avery, Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson Featuring Images of The W A C Smith collection
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland
The Steam Railway Western Scotland
Compiled by Bob Avery, Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson Images from the W A C Smith collection
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Reviving the memories of yesterday… © Images and design: The Transport Treasury 2023. Text Bob Avery, Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson. ISBN 978-1-913251-64-2 First published in 2023 by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd., 16 Highworth Close, High Wycombe, HP13 7PJ www.ttpublishing.co.uk Printed in Malta by Gutenberg Press Ltd., Tarxien, GXQ 2902 The copyright holders hereby give notice that all rights to this work are reserved. Aside from brief passages for the purpose of review, no part of this work may be reproduced, copied by electronic or other means, or otherwise stored in any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from the Publisher. This includes the illustrations herein which shall remain the copyright of the copyright holder.
Front Cover: An atmospheric photo of Platform 1 at Glasgow St Enoch where Hurlford’s 2P 4-4-0 40618 is double heading with Corkerhill’s Fairburn tank 42191 on a special working to Greenock Princes Pier on Saturday, 22 October 1955. These periodic ‘Empress Voyager’ trains, were run in connection with a sailing for a Canadian Pacific Railway transatlantic steamer service, whose ships all had the “Empress of ...” prefix. Note the route indicator on the bufferbeam of 40618 which denoted a service for Greenock Princes Pier. These indicators were widely used on former LMS lines in the Central Belt working from / to Glasgow St Enoch, Central and Edinburgh Princes St. The assistance offered by 40618 was undoubtedly well received by the crew on 42191 especially from both Cart Junction (on the outward run) and Princes Pier up to the summit of the steeply graded former GSW route at Upper Port Glasgow. The line to Greenock Princes Pier was cut back to Kilmacolm in 1966 having been singled in 1959 following the withdrawal of local passenger services. Boat trains for Princes Pier continued to use the line until November 1965 with freight traffic ceasing in September 1966 and the line to Kilmacolm closing completely in 1983. Following a few years of a desolate existence, the site of Princes Pier was reborn as the Greenock Container Port in 1969 which required the building of a new connecting line to enable the port to be rail served. This started at the aptly named Container Base Junction on the Wemyss Bay line and joined up with the former Inchgreen branch trackbed at Cartsburn Junction. The trackbed of the former main line from Kilmacolm completed the line to the site of the Container port. The rail link opened in 1971 with services running to Gushetfaulds FLT in Glasgow. Rail traffic finally ceased in 1985 with the line officially closing in 1991, but occasional mutterings can be heard about reopening. Cruise ships continue to serve Greenock, Covid permitting. (WS972) Frontispiece: ‘B1’ 4-6-0 61333, then allocated to Parkhead, stands at Clydebank East with a special train to Whitley Bay (Tyneside) on Saturday, 18 July 1959. The date is the first Saturday of the traditional ‘Glasgow Fair’ fortnight when large numbers of Glaswegians took their holidays, and many shops, businesses and factories closed. The special is no doubt a ‘Fair’ related holiday extra. Clydebank East was something of an oddity. It was the 2-platform terminus of the original line from what is now Hyndland East Junction, and was left as a short branch line when the line was extended westwards to Dalmuir. It can be seen in the background with overhead catenary in place (though not yet in use) and what looks like a V1 or V3 tank on a Glasgow-bound train waiting for a signal. The survival of the station was probably due to the proximity of Clydebank’s shipyards. (WS27) Rear Cover: Following on from the previous picture on page 92 (WS 6588), 57689 has run round its train in Greenlaw Goods Yard and has now propelled out onto the Up Slow at Paisley Goods Junction to continue with the rest of the trip towards Paisley St James and the freight only branch to Chain Road. It’s waiting for Black 5 44808 (enjoying a brief three months allocated to Motherwell before returning to its Mancunian roots at Patricroft) running on the Down Slow with an unidentified Class 1 passenger train to clear the section at Wallneuk Junction before proceeding on its leisurely way. Due to the lack of a route indicator on the buffer beam of 44808, we are unable to positively identify the destination of the train. However, as it’s on the Down Slow there’s a possibility that it’ll be taking the right-hand route at Paisley Gilmour Street with the final destination likely to be either Wemyss Bay or Gourock. (WS6589)
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Introduction
his volume is dedicated to Hazel Maxtone, the late Davie Davidson and the late Willy McKnight. W.A.C. ‘Bill’ Smith was born in 1926 and as well as working in the Train Planning department of the then BR’s Scottish Region HQ in Glasgow, was one of Scotland’s most prolific railway photographers. He produced large numbers of high-quality photographs, covering everything from prestige main line expresses to colliery trips and also at steam railways in industry, of which there were plenty to choose from in Western Scotland.
As steam ended, Bill turned his camera towards more modern traction but without quite the same enthusiasm. Like many others, he ventured overseas to those countries which still had steam traction on their railways. He also had many photographs of various ships that operated on the Clyde. Bob met Bill only once, very briefly, on Carlisle station on a day when there were a couple of steam-hauled specials around. Bill passed away in 2009. This book is a companion volume to ‘The Steam Railway – East Scotland’ which showcases many of Bill’s pictures in the eastern half of the country.
As part of his professional duties, Bill was involved in planning special workings and railtours. Both before and after he took early retirement in 1982, his expertise found outlets, both as a professional train planner, and later as secretary of the Scottish branch of the Stephenson Locomotive Society, where he was instrumental in organising a large number of enthusiast tours covering much of Scotland’s rail network. The excursions Bill was involved in organising ranged from marathon tours lasting several days (often using the preserved locomotives Glen Douglas, Gordon Highlander, Jones Goods No 103 and the Stirling Single no 123) to brake van trips over some of the lesser known and rarely visited goods branches. Bill’s work commitments meant that the majority of his pictures were taken on Saturdays, public holidays or summer evenings.
We have tried to choose pictures about which we could contribute something more than just a date and location. Often in the background of Bill’s pictures there are snippets of now vanished aspects of everyday life in Scotland which add interest to the railway setting. For this reason, we have tried to avoid shed portraits of locomotives, preferring to depict trains and railways in their active everyday environment. With an output as prolific as Bill’s, it’s inevitable that some of the pictures we have chosen will have appeared before. But we hope you enjoy them and the captions we have provided. The compilers would like to acknowledge the help given with trains and locations by Jack Kernahan, Jonathan Dransart, Keith Fenwick, ‘Dicky’ Hodge, Eric Aitchison, Matt Monger and Paul Strathdee. Reference has also been made to various publications, notably ‘The Port Road’ by Andrew Swan, David L. Smith’s two excellent, classic volumes on the Glasgow & South Western, Hugh Longworth’s ‘British Railways Steam Locomotive Allocations’, Butt’s ‘Railway Stations’, Ian Allan ‘Combined Volume’ of 1953, various old working and public timetables, Sectional Appendices, The Signalbox Register, and various websites – in particular ‘Six Bells Junction’ and ‘Railscot’.
Bill’s contacts within the operations department no doubt provided him with lots of real time information and ‘gen’ about forthcoming unusual workings or loco allocations. In those days before information technology reached its current dizzy heights, there was a certain attraction in waiting with a camera trackside without knowing what was likely to pass by. These days of smart phones and websites mean it is possible to ‘trainspot’ without leaving the house; though arguably this takes much of the fun out of the hobby, and doesn’t produce railway photographs. His series of pictures depicting troop specials on the ‘Port Road’ in deepest Dumfries & Galloway, for example (WS8033-37 at the end of the book), were almost certainly a result of inside knowledge, and the vast majority of enthusiasts in Scotland wouldn’t have known they were running.
It’s our intention to donate any royalties received from the sale of this book to the Bo’ness & Kinneil and Strathspey railways in Scotland, on a 50/50 basis. Bob Avery, Carluke Graham Maxtone, Fort William Dave Davidson, Hereford April 2023 3
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: J35 64464 of Polmadie is seen in Cardonald Goods Yard on Saturday, 24 May 1958, a few days after its involvement in a head on collision at Arkleston Junction which took place at 8.13am four days previously. On the day in question 64464 had worked tender first from Paisley and had arrived on the up fast at Arkleston Junction propelling a brake van. The next move was to shunt across into Gallowhill Sidings on the Down side. This was an unsignalled move which required the co-operation of the traincrew and the signalman in Arkleston Junction signalbox. However, there was a passenger train from Glasgow which was booked to pass before the shunt move could take place. The clearing of the signal for the passenger train on the Down line was mistaken by the inexperienced fireman of 64464 and not checked by the other traincrew. The engine then started to move in the wrong direction on the Up Fast eventually colliding head on with the locomotive working the 7.15am service from Gourock to Glasgow Central. Ninety-eight passengers were injured, one fatally, with twenty-six requiring hospital attention. Following recovery operations all lines were open for normal working approximately twelve hours later. Six days after this picture was taken 64464 was withdrawn from traffic and condemned, finally meeting its demise at the Atlas Works not long after; an unfortunate end to fifty two years sterling service, after being built for the North British Railway in June 1906 by NBL (Glasgow). (WS35) Opposite Top: ‘B1’ 61132 descends the 1 in 41 Cowlairs incline with the 1.46pm Dundee Tay Bridge to Glasgow Queen Street on Saturday 31 March 1956. Photos of trains descending the famous gradient are not common, the pyrotechnics from steam locomotives ascending the fearsome gradient (which today’s class 385 EMUs barely notice) were more attractive to photographers. The Tay Bridge based 4-6-0 has a fine collection of former LNER carriages in tow. Against a backdrop of classic Glasgow tenements, and some trees struggling against the constant smoky atmosphere and no doubt chilly early Spring weather, the passengers will be collecting their belongings as the train passes under Keppochhill Road on the last half mile before Queen Street. (WS52) Opposite Bottom: It’s strangely surreal to see a former LNER loco skirting the west coast of Scotland, as St Margaret’s ‘B1’ 61398 passes the fine G&SW signal cabin at Gailes with the 10.30am St Enoch-Ayr on Saturday, 8 August 1959. Just why a B1 should appear on this job is a mystery. The only other place where this happened regularly in 1959 was Mallaig, though Ayr did get an allocation of half a dozen B1s in 1963-4 to help out their hard-working fleet of ‘Black 5s’. Gailes station opened in 1893 to serve golf courses nearby. In this shot the disinterested-looking figure might be a railway worker or simply a pedestrian waiting to cross. The station closed in 1967, no doubt falling victim to the private car. Today the repositioned level crossing is protected by automatic half-barriers and the ubiquitous 25kv overhead electrification disfigures the scene. (WS66)
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Above: Against a backdrop of Pinkston Power station, Haymarket’s ‘V2’ 2-6-2 60951 needs assistance from an unidentified banking engine to mount the formidable 1 in 41 (from a standing start) Cowlairs Incline with the 9.45am Glasgow Queen Street to Scarborough on Saturday, 20 July 1957, which was probably the middle weekend of Glasgow’s ‘Fair’. The weather looks decidedly murky, a not uncommon situation in Western Scotland, even in July, (and traditionally so for ‘Fair Fortnight!). The passengers will be hoping for better things on Yorkshire’s East Coast. Pinkston Power station was a Glasgow City Council owned facility that provided power to the city’s tramways and the rarely photographed circular subway line. It passed to the South of Scotland Electricity board the following year, and was decommissioned in 1960. (WS73) Opposite Top: NBR Reid 0-6-0 J37 64639 running tender first on a Milngavie branch concreting train run in connection with the Glasgow North suburban electrification works on Wednesday, 19 March 1958. The train has just left Bearsden station on the Up line heading towards the junction at Westerton. Colquhoun Park’s football grounds are behind the train and in front of the typically affluent looking houses for the area on the horizon. Excavation work for one of the new overhead catenary masts may be noted in the up cess to the right of the J39’s tender. A brake van has been provided at both ends of the consist to allow prompt rounding at locations where a change of direction was required. The actual formation of the train was likely to be of a set make up and would not normally be altered during the period of the works, except to perhaps replace a defective vehicle. As this is a Wednesday the train will be working between normal passenger services, so time will be of the essence. The Glasgow North electric train services commenced in November 1960, but after a disastrous series of transformer explosions had to be temporarily withdrawn and steam traction rapidly reintroduced until the problems could be rectified. Electric services resumed again in November 1961 and have continued ever since. As for the trusty NBR J classes they must surely be considered for long service awards. 64639 entered traffic in October 1921 and had given 41-years sterling service before being withdrawn in December 1962, having been allocated to Eastfield during its entire working life. (WS112) Opposite Bottom: On 28 March 1959, an Eastfield stalwart, N15/2 69131 is captured standing in the Carriage sidings at Cowlairs between trips up and down the infamous incline to Glasgow Queen Street. Visible below the buffer beam is the slip coupling, used when banking trains from Queen Street up the incline to Cowlairs, to enable the banking engine to drop off the main train without it having to be stopped for the purpose. The wire which was used to operate the slip coupling can be seen running along the top of the boiler towards the cab. 69131 is believed to have spent its entire fifty-one-and-a-half-year career at Eastfield after construction at the NBL Locomotive works in Glasgow in July 1910 as one of the members of the NBR A Class. It was withdrawn from traffic in February 1962 and scrapped in November of that year at the Atlas Steelworks in Lanarkshire. In between withdrawal and its final meeting with the scrapman’s gas-axe it was one of the numerous residents of the (in)famous steam loco dump at Bo’ness. A modification has been made to the cab with what looks like a temporary draught screen. This undoubtedly made the cab a wee bit more cosy as even at the end of March it can be a tad fresh! (WS159)
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Bob Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson TheAvery, Steam Railway Western Scotland
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Above: On Friday and Saturday, 8 and 9 May 1959, in conjunction with the BBC’s ‘Railway Roundabout’ programme, a pair of surviving ‘Glen’ (NBR class ‘K’, LNER class D34) 4-4-0s were used to work return trips to Fort William. Filming took place at a number of West Highland locations and also from the footplate on both days. This was to commemorate what were West Highland stalwart locomotives until the coming of the younger K class 2-6-0s. All were named after Glens in the West Highlands. 62471 Glen Falloch (St Margarets) & 62496 Glen Loy (Eastfield) were the nominated engines, with 62477 Glen Dochart in reserve. The pair were taken off their local duties around Glasgow and made ready for a somewhat arduous couple of days’ duty. Glen Loy also received the attention of the Eastfield depot painter as the lifeguards, coupling, buffers and the smokebox door hinges and fittings were all painted white. This meant that 62496 was always the leading engine on both days. On 8 May, the 2.56pm from Fort William is seen at Cowlairs, prior to easing down the notorious incline to terminate in the somewhat stygian gloom that was Queen Street. 62496 reportedly had been running hot, so it’s possible that the pause here was to inspect the bearings. N15/1 0-6-2T 69191 stands adjacent to 62496 and was one of the Cowlairs Incline Pilots. The former NBR Class A had extended running boards under the cab to assist the shunters, and was also fitted with a slip coupling to enable the loco to assist trains up the incline from Queen Street and uncouple on the move. 62471 was withdrawn in March 1960 with 62496’s withdrawal taking place in November 1961. 69161 was dumped at Bo’ness for a few months before making its final journey to Cowlairs Works in October 1962 where it met its end. (WS189) Opposite Top: Gresley V3 2-6-2T number 67612 on the 4.42pm Balloch to Shettleston suburban working passing Dalmuir Park Junction signal box on Saturday 31 May 1958. That telegraph post on the right is leaning over rather precariously! This engine was built for the LNER at Doncaster in 1931 and was based at Parkhead for the final years of its operating life being withdrawn in January 1961, nearly three years after this photograph was taken. Dalmuir Junction signal box opened in April 1897 but was renamed Dalmuir Park at a later, unknown date. Although a deceptively small structure it was extremely busy; so much so that a Bookmarker was provided to assist the signalman right up to the time it was closed when the area came under the control of Yoker IECC in July 1989. (WS247) Opposite Bottom: On Saturday, 16 June 1956 72001 Clan Cameron is seen leading the 9.3am Glasgow Queen Street – Spean Bridge passing Maryhill Park East Junction. This was a special train run in conjunction with only the second great gathering of the Clan Cameron at the ancestral seat of Achnacarry Castle since the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745. In order to forestall any issues with the passage of a Clan Pacific over the West Highland a couple of rehearsal runs were carried out. On Thursday, May 10, 72001 worked the 3.46pm Queen Street to Fort William returning the following morning with the 9.31am Fort William – Queen Street. The same loco was also reported in Fort William on the Saturday, 9 June, one week before the special run. Reports from the traincrew involved in all the trips stated that the locomotive was a bit wary of some of the curves on the West Highland. 72001 was withdrawn from Polmadie in December 1962 after only 11 years of service and disposed of at Darlington Works the following year. Undoubtedly with Cameron of Lochiel being a member of the British Railways Scottish Region Board, a more prudent eye was run over the arrangements to ensure there were no issues likely to bring any problems on the day. K4 61994 2-6-0 Cameron of Lochiel was placed on hand at Crianlarich Upper to act as a stand-by in case of difficulties. It was also reported that all the special train’s crews had the surname of Cameron. Whilst this may not have caused the roster clerk at Fort William too many issues in adjusting the booked rosters to fit, his counterpart at Eastfield may have found it more challenging! At the time of writing one of the Fort William crew members is still very much on the go and continues to reside in Lochaber. The train is seen passing Maryhill Park East Junction with the former Kelvin Valley Railway to Kilsyth seen coming in from the left of the picture. This had been closed to passengers in March 1951 but remained open for goods traffic and was also utilised for driver training on the new DMUs in the late 50’s / early 60’s. (WS278)
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Above: A sunny afternoon on Saturday, 8 August 1959 shows the broad expanse of the south end of Ayr station. Locally allocated Fowler 2P 40647 is seen departing the Dalmellington Bay platform with the 2.43pm service to Heads of Ayr. There seems to be a shortage of route indicators, no doubt caused by a large number of additional services on this summer Saturday as there appears to be a hand-drawn Ayr indicator chalked onto the smokebox door. Over on the Cattle Market Sidings can be seen Corkerhill allocated Black 5 44791 awaiting its next working. Ayr No 2-signal box is seen on the left occupying part of the Up-loop platform which was used for terminating services from the south, such as those from Heads of Ayr & Dalmellington. 40647 spent all its BR career on former GSW metals serving time at Ayr, Corkerhill and Hurlford before being withdrawn at the end of October 1961, then making the long journey north to Inverurie Works where it was scrapped in April 1962. 44791 also spent all its BR service based in Scotland and lasted a few years longer than 40647. It was withdrawn from Carstairs at the end of November 1966 and reported as being scrapped by April 1967. (WS476) Opposite Top: Hurlford’s ‘2P’ 4-4-0 40686 is not far from journey’s end at Glasgow St Enoch with the 10.40am from Kilmarnock on Wednesday, 19 December 1956. The train is passing the platforms of the former Gorbals station which shut as long ago as 1928. Some traces of the viaducts which carried the line here remain. Just off picture to the right is the surviving ‘City Union’ railway which once provided the route from St Enoch to Ayr and Largs. Today it sees the occasional empty stock or freight working, though there have been calls for its re-instatement as a passenger route linking Glasgow’s north and south sides. (WS486) Opposite Bottom: A rare shot of Cowlairs North Junction, with Ivatt class 4MT ‘Flying Pig’ 2-6-0 43137 on a train of assorted non-corridor stock. The engine was just three years old at the time of this picture, having been delivered post-nationalisation in 1954. The haze from engines at its Home Depot of Eastfield can be seen behind the rear of the train. The photographer advises this is a ‘relief’ from Leven (on Scotland’s east coast in Fife) to Glasgow Queen Street Low Level. 12 July 1957 was a Friday, so perhaps it’s for workmen coming home for the weekend, or to attend an event of some sort. Although only a couple of miles from central Glasgow at this point, the train will proceed to Queen Street Low Level via Maryhill, Anniesland and Partick, approaching the Low Level from the west. The empty stock would then presumably head for Cowlairs via Springburn. (WS503)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: On Saturday, 1 August 1959 Leeds Holbeck allocated Crab 42771 is seen from the Maxwell Road overbridge easing the 9.5am Leeds – Gourock round the spur from Muirhouse North Junction towards Terminus Junction from where it will head towards Paisley Gilmour Street and onto Gourock. Passengers on board are no doubt contemplating the short sailings across the Firth of Clyde to various holiday destinations including Dunoon and the Kyles of Bute. The Exchange sidings for Tradeston Gasworks are seen on the left of the picture. The Scottish Gas Board had their own steam loco. A Barclay 0-4-0 appropriately named “Scottish Gas Board No 1” certainly earned its keep hauling loaded wagons up to the Gasworks complex. 42771 had just over four years of its thirty-six-year career left before final withdrawal at the end of November 1963 and scrapping at Crewe Works by the end of that year. (WS505) Opposite Top: On Saturday, 12 February 1955 Kingmoor’s Crab 42899, is heading north through Motherwell station and is signalled onto the main line at Lesmahagow Junction, towards Uddingston. A miniature snowplough remains fitted as a precaution against any snow issues that could still be encountered at that time of year. A number of both upper and lower quadrant signals can be seen in the picture. These were controlled from Lesmahagow Junction signal box behind the photographer. Motherwell North & South boxes were situated south of the station on the former Caledonian Railway main line. Also visible on the right is the bay platform line situated between the main line and Hamilton loop line platforms. The bay line was removed in the 1960s with the cessation of the parcels and pigeon traffic for which it was used. 42899, which is fitted with a narrow Fowler tender in this picture, was withdrawn from Carlisle Kingmoor in December 1962. After a period in storage at Carlisle Upperby the loco was dispatched to J McWilliams scrapyard in Shettleston where it met its end in November 1963. (WS510) Opposite Bottom: The interior of Motherwell shed on Saturday, 14 May 1955. A number of resident locos are visible, the most prominent of which is Standard class 4 2-6-0 76001 (which makes another appearance in this book ten years later; see WS8033). Further back are at least three ex Caledonian Railway 0-6-0s widely used on the extensive Lanarkshire coal branches in use at that time, and ‘WD’ 2-10-0 90771, one of 25 such engines, all Scottish based. Also visible is a 2-6-4T of some description and something with a Stanier tender, probably a Black Five. The work-worn appearance is in marked contrast to the almost sterile (by comparison) ambience of modern motive power depots. In 1955, Motherwell was home to no fewer than 13 classes of engine. Your caption writer had the privilege to be associated with Motherwell depot and its team in a small way at various points in his career. Motherwell’s train crews in the 1970s and 80s had a well-deserved reputation for wide-ranging route and traction knowledge. Today the shed is still in use as a wagon repair depot for Carlisle-based Direct Rail Services. (WS538)
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Above: The 2P 4-4-0s, introduced in 1928, were well known on former G&SW lines in Scotland. Two such examples are seen side by side at Kilmarnock on Saturday, 21 March 1959. Nearby Hurlford shed’s 40661 is in the foreground on the 3.8pm to Glasgow St Enoch, while Ayr’s 40574 is engaged on shunting stock, with the blending plant of one of the leading brands of a well-known Scottish beverage behind. (40574 also features in photo WS1035 on page 20) The establishment of the plant next to the railway was no accident, and the availability of rail transport enabled Johnnie Walker’s products to be transported far afield; a fact which, without doubt contributed to its global success. The plant closed, despite fearsome local opposition, in 2012. (WS592) Opposite Top: In this undated view of Glasgow St Enoch, former Caledonian Railway Pickersgill 4-4-0 locomotive 54472 is seen displaying the light engine headcode and blowing off just outside the overall roof on platform 3. The bunker of an 0-4-4 passenger tank can also be seen occupying the middle line between platforms 1 and 2. 54473 was built for the Caledonian Railway in 1916 as 933 and had a working life just shy of 44 years, being condemned on Wednesday, 20 October 1959 at St Rollox with scrapping taking place sometime in February 1960. 54473 spent most of her career in the Northern Division of the LMS working out of Inverness and was transferred from Forres to Corkerhill on Saturday, 4 July 1959. Therefore, it’s fair to assume the photo was taken at some time in the high summer of 1959 before its transfer to Polmadie and finally St Rollox. (WS693) Opposite Bottom: What a way to travel to work. One of Carstairs shed’s four former Caledonian Railway Pickersgill ‘72’ class 3P Caledonian 4-4-0s, 54477, stands at the buffer stops at what looks like Platform 4 in Glasgow Central after arrival with the 7.53am from Lanark on Tuesday, 26 March 1957. What sheer class compared with today’s EMUs, though the service the latter provide is considerably more frequent. Today’s view is little changed, apart from the scissor’s crossover (for loco release purposes) that has long since vanished, and of course the addition of 25kv AC overhead electrification. But I doubt if the commuters on that train in 1957 would have had such rose-coloured spectacles. (WS704)
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Above: The details as provided for this picture are a little unclear, but this is believed to be an Ibrox-bound football special, or at least the stock to form one, leaving Gourock on Saturday, 10 November 1956, under an impressive array of semaphores. If anyone’s interested, Rangers were beaten 3-2 by Motherwell, which was home to this former Caledonian Railway ‘Standard Goods’ 57416 and taking a break from its usual work in the Lanarkshire coalfield, to play its part in conveying a small proportion of the 63,000 spectators who attended the game. (WS743) Opposite: On Saturday, 21 July 1956, Carstairs Black 5 44953 pilots Polmadie allocated 72002 Clan Campbell past Float siding just south of Strawfrank Junction. Both locos are digging in for the 1 in 150 climb up to Leggatfoot with 44953 working through to Carlisle and will no doubt pilot a northbound service back towards Glasgow. The 1.45pm departure from Glasgow Central conveyed through portions for both Manchester Victoria and Liverpool Exchange. The service split at Preston where both portions were worked forward to their respective destinations. Float Siding was previously known as Float Junction, from where a direct curve towards the Edinburgh line at Lampits Junction was opened by the Caledonian Railway in 1840. The curve was not heavily used and was superseded by the somewhat sharper curve built later between Strawfrank Junction and Carstairs East Junction. The opening of the line to the Caledonian Railway station in Dolphinton in 1867 crossed the curve on the level and effectively severed it, with the former Float Junction now re-purposed as sidings for the cleaning of cattle wagons and wagon storage, some of which can be seen on the right of the picture. Access to the sidings was then worked by a ground frame supervised by Strawfrank Junction signal box. The site of Float Sidings and the embankment of the former curve towards Edinburgh can still be seen from the West Coast main line. 72002 was built at Crewe Works in July 1952 and was withdrawn at the end of December 1962, finally being scrapped at Darlington Works in September 1963. 44953 fared somewhat better from its building at Horwich Works in March 1946, not being withdrawn from Carstairs until December 1966 with scrapping following in March 1967. (WS984)
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Above: St Enoch station on the morning of Saturday, 18 September 1954 and ‘Jubilee’ 45718 Dreadnought is seen arriving on platform 3 after its ten-hour overnight journey from London St Pancras with Friday’s Starlight Special. The ‘Jubilee’ had worked the train from Carlisle. The Starlight Specials were cheap return excursion trains which ran overnight between London and both Glasgow and Edinburgh, with St Pancras being used for the Glasgow service and Marylebone for the Edinburgh service. The choice of Marylebone for the Edinburgh services was dictated by their routing which utilised the East Coast main line and the former Great Central main line to London. Services from St Enoch traversed the G&SW main line via Dumfries and a similar routing to the Thames-Clyde express via the Settle & Carlisle and the Midland Main line. Services departed south on Friday evenings and then returned on Friday & Saturday evenings a week or a fortnight later. A typical formation was eleven third class coaches plus a Cafeteria Car which was reported as occasionally running out of stock due to the popularity of the services. During the Glasgow Fair holidays there were also a number of additional Starlight Specials due to high demand. 45718 is seen paired with a Fowler tender which was somewhat narrower than the Stanier designed locomotive and no doubt required the driver and fireman to exercise a bit more caution when moving about the footplate. The locomotive was a long-term resident of Kingmoor until re-allocation south of the border to Agecroft in July 1962, from where it was withdrawn in October of the same year. It was then stored at the former St Rollox MPD from November 1962 until November 1963 from where it made the short journey to Cowlairs Works in December 1963 for cutting up. To the left of the picture the lines from Platforms 1 and 2 are seen leading off towards Saltmarket Junction and High St via the City Union. In the distance just behind St Enoch signal box can be seen an unidentified 2P or 4P locomotive standing on the Engine Shed Road with what looks like a parcels van. Behind the signal box (which still sports its wartime bomb protection roof from WW2) can be seen the former St Enoch locomotive depot. By this time, it was only utilised for stabling and turning of locomotives with Corkerhill having taken over any servicing requirements. Over on the right an unidentified Standard 4 tank can be seen on platform 7. St Enoch station closed to passengers on Sunday, June 26 1966 but remained open for parcels traffic for a brief period before becoming a car park, after the track was removed. The signal box was closed a year later with its remaining functions being taken over by High Street Junction signal box and the famous St Enoch hotel finally closed in 1974. Demolition of the whole area for the building of the new St Enoch Centre then commenced. Approximately 250,000 cubic metres of rubble from the station and the hotel was used to fill in the former Queens Dock, which is now the site of the Scottish Exhibition Centre. The unique station clock from St Enoch was saved for posterity and remains a focal point within the Antonine Centre in Cumbernauld. (WS1002) Right: Eastfield Black 5 44968 double heading sister engine 45396 on the 1pm from Mallaig to Glasgow Queen Street patiently sit awaiting the arrival of the 3.46pm from Queen Street to Mallaig on Saturday, 26 June 1954. The 3.46pm is also double headed with a Black 5 leading and a ‘Glen’ as the train engine. In accordance with the Regulations the tablet is carried with the ‘Glen’ and the fireman prepares to carry out the exchange of hoops with the Ardlui signalman. The 1pm is a good length with perhaps a fish van at the tail end and might just be in clear, but it’ll be a close thing. The 3.46pm will be of almost equal length; Ardlui is one of the three shortest loops on the West Highland main line along with Tyndrum Upper and Rannoch, so the careful calculation of maximum train lengths at their respective originating points is paramount. A crew change is also in the offing between the Fort William and Glasgow men. The Glasgow crew only have Glen Douglas bank to tackle on the way home, but the Fort William men have the challenges of Glen Falloch, Strathfillan, The County March and Rannoch ahead. (WS1029)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 45696 Arethusa, based at Carlisle Kingmoor at that time, passes Law Junction, with the 9.25am CrewePerth on Saturday, 26 April 1958. Note the two horse boxes marshalled behind the locomotive. Today the layout is much rationalised and electrified. There’s no trace of the sidings on the left, while those on the right were the site of the more recent freight and parcels depot, active in the 1980s and 90s, but now overgrown and moribund. The distant ‘bing’ (slag heap) is still visible though reduced in size. (WS1024)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: A slightly different view of Annbank Junction looking east. This was taken on Saturday, 9 May 1959 with the Stephenson Locomotive Society’s “Land of Burns” railtour headed by Ayr’s 2P 40574 standing in the Up platform heading for Catrine via Tarbolton, Mauchline and Brackenhill Junction. From Catrine it returned to Mauchline to run round and then proceeded up the former G&SW main line to Auchinleck where it headed for Muirkirk. The afternoon was rounded off by a run back from Muirkirk to Ayr via Logan Junction, Ochiltree and Belston Junction, regaining the outbound route at Annbank Junction. Today’s view is somewhat different with just a single line and a ground frame to operate the connection to the former Killoch Colliery (now a washery) leading off to the right. The colliery spoil heap seen in the distance has been significantly reduced and landscaped. 40574 was withdrawn from Hurlford on 30 April 1961 and didn’t survive long after withdrawal, meeting its demise at Inverurie Works on 31 May 1961. (WS1035) Opposite Top: Balloch Central station on a very wet Saturday, 11 July 1959 as Black 5 44973 waits to leave on a return Orange Walk special working. Note the tired looking signal box which was a joint Caledonian and North British Railway structure, opened in 1888. By the time this photograph was taken, it only had months to go before it was replaced by a new flat roofed BR design on the opposite side of the tracks as part of the electrification and re-signalling of the North Clyde lines. The wooden wheel operated level crossing gates were also replaced by a full barrier installation at that time. Following the closure of the short portion of line to Balloch Pier, a new station at Balloch was built on the Dumbarton Central side of the level crossing which along with the BR signal box were closed and removed in 1988. 44973 was withdrawn from Carstairs in September 1965 and disposed of at Inslow Works, Wishaw during the December of that year. (WS1037) Opposite Bottom: In an all too typical December monogloom, three members of the Permanent Way staff, without such basic safety aids as high visibility clothing or apparent lookout protection, stand aside to allow Carlisle Kingmoor’s ‘Black Five’ 44668 to pass with the 1.53pm Glasgow St Enoch to Carlisle via Kilmarnock on Friday, 26 December 1958. Boxing Day services were better in those days. The Barrhead Central branch, in the foreground, served as sidings into the 1960s, though the actual station closed as long ago as 1916. The state of the track indicates infrequent use by 1958. (WS1055)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: It’s Wednesday, 21 May, 1958 and Perth based ‘Black Five’ 44978 is passing Mossend No 1 Junction with the Aberdeen portion of the up ‘West Coast Postal’ to London. It will tie up with a portion from Glasgow at Carstairs. At what is now known as Mossend North Junction, the line leading off to the left is the now closed and lifted curve to Mossend West Junction, which allowed access to Bellshill, Uddingston and Glasgow Central. This shot is taken from the platform end at the former Mossend station. Mossend down yard is visible to the left of the train and is the only marshalling yard of any consequence left in Scotland. To the right of the train and mainly hidden behind it is Mossend Up Yard – now refuge loops and loco holding sidings, together with the Mossend Euroterminal complex. (WS1060)
Opposite Bottom: Black 5 45022 (of Edinburgh’s Dalry Road) and almost brand new ‘Clan’ small Pacific 72005 Clan Macgregor (of Carlisle Kingmoor) join forces at Carstairs with the 4.5 pm Glasgow Central to Liverpool and Manchester on Glasgow Fair Saturday, 17 July 1954, when passenger numbers would have been swelled at the start of the annual holiday fortnight. There’s even a horsebox marshalled behind the locomotives. This scene has since been transformed by track layout alterations and electrification, not to mention the demolition of the station buildings. At the time of writing, the winds of change are blowing again, as major remodelling is planned to eliminate the 15mph speed restriction across the junction for trains heading to or from Edinburgh; work was expected to start sometime in 2022. (WS1062)
Below: If the 1.44pm Kilmarnock to Ayr is running to time on Saturday, 8 August 1959 then it’s just after 2.2pm and Fowler 4F 44330 is seen easing away from Troon station for its next booked stop at Prestwick approximately 7 minutes later. The train is traversing the trailing crossover at Troon Junction with the single line to Templehill Junction and Troon Harbour seen heading off left. Troon station existed within a triangle of lines. A route from Barassie Junction north of Troon station joined up at Templehill Junction to allow access to Troon harbour and the loco shed. From 1962 to 1968 the harbour was the site of Arnott Young’s loco scrapyard where a large number of withdrawn locomotives from Scotland and the north of England met their fiery end. Most notable of these were the eight Coronation Pacifics from Carlisle that arrived in late 1964. 44330 was built at St Rollox in 1928 and appears to have spent its working life of thirty-four and a half years in Scotland. At the time of the photo the loco was allocated to Ayr but was transferred to Corkerhill in early December of that year, finally being withdrawn from there in October 1962 and scrapped a year later. Troon station was unfortunately in the news in July 2021 when the buildings on platform 1 caught fire overnight, a shame indeed as both platform buildings were fine examples of Glasgow & South Western Railway station architecture as designed by James Millar. (WS1080)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: Seen from Berryknowes Road overbridge on Thursday, 5 June 1958, the last train of the day from Renfrew Fulbar Street to St Enoch approaches Cardonald station on the Up Slow. The 5.36 pm departure catered for the many workers employed at the numerous industries around the Renfrew and Braehead areas. Just visible in the background behind the extensive signal gantry is Cardonald Junction signal box which controlled the junction for Deanside, Shieldhall and the Renfrew District Railway through to Renfrew South. On the left, a somewhat ancient clerestory coach and a solitary wagon can be seen on the headshunt for Dewar’s siding. This was served by a trailing connection from the Down Slow line at Cardonald Junction. 55225 was a McIntosh designed 439 Class 2P passenger tank which spent all its working life at Corkerhill after entering service from St Rollox Works in October 1914. Withdrawal came in June 1962 and 55225 was reported as scrapped by September 1963. (WS1087) Opposite Top: Stanier Black 5 no 44957 working the 3.46pm Glasgow Queen Street to Mallaig passenger service coming round Cowlairs west curve and approaching Cowlairs North Junction on Saturday, 25 May 1957. Although the train is currently on the Up line this immediately changes to the Down line towards Possilpark and the west when the train clears the junction in the foreground. Cowlairs East curve is coming in on the left and you will note the strategically placed water column before the colour light signal, probably provided to replenish westbound goods trains from Cadder Yard held there for extended periods awaiting a path. In the distance you may notice the distinctive brick built offices and clock tower situated on the approaches to Eastfield Engine Shed. When Eastfield was rebuilt in preparation for dieselisation, these offices and the clock tower were swept away, although a more modern clock sitting on its own was provided in the same location. Note also that the passenger stock is predominantly BR Mark 1 in maroon and blood & custard, although there is an ex LNER coach 2nd in the rake. West Highland passenger services nearly always carried Class 1 head codes; one reason for this was to ensure they had priority over Glasgow North Class 2 suburban services. Although allocated to Eastfield at this time, 44957 would be based at Corkerhill and finally Dumfries before being withdrawn in May 1964. (WS1111) Opposite Bottom: Black 5s 44975 & 44995 double heading the 10.21am from Glasgow Queen Street upon arrival at Platform 1, Fort William station on Monday, 18 July 1955. This lengthy train was typical of summer West Highland passenger services. The problematic nature of the old station is very evident when you see how far along that very handy pier siding the engines are sitting. The other shorter Platforms 2 & 3 were relatively useless for arriving trains of this size, as they would invariably block access to and egress from the other two until the train was disposed or split – and of course the rear coaches would be off the platform. It will be noted that the starting signal for Platform 1 has already been cleared which indicates that the engines booked to take the train onto Mallaig have promptly come on top and will quickly be ready to depart along the Extension. 44975 was a Fort William engine, recently transferred from Perth, and 44995 was a St Rollox engine. 44975 (see also photo WS2448 on page 33) was withdrawn from Dalry Road (64C) in September 1965 and disposed of at Inslow Works, Wishaw in January 1966. 44995 was withdrawn from Corkerhill in November 1966 and also disposed of at Inslow Works in June 1967. Note the art-deco style MacBraynes terminal behind the leading engine which, like the old passenger station, was sadly demolished to make way for the new dual-carriageway town by-pass in 1975. (WS1106)
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Above: A superbly evocative study of Patriot 45507 Royal Tank Corps leaving Carstairs with the 11.33am Lancaster to Glasgow Central on Saturday, 13 July 1957. The weather is suitably ‘dreich’ for a summer’s day in Lanarkshire, but only to be expected for the local ‘Fair’ holiday! In the background an unidentified Stanier-outline engine is standing at platform one having probably arrived from Edinburgh Princes Street with a portion to be attached to a WCML express heading south. The scene is instantly recognisable today, though of course electrification has appeared and the semaphore signalling has gone, as have the station buildings and the hotel just visible above the firebox. 45507 called Crewe North home in 1957, was withdrawn from Lancaster Green Ayre shed in 1962, and was cut up at Crewe Works in October 1963. (WS2112) Opposite Top: Gresley V3 2-6-2T 67626 on the 5.55pm Bridgeton Central to Helensburgh Central commuter service accelerates away from Dalreoch station swinging round the curve past Dalreoch Junction signal box on Saturday, 2 June 1956. The positioning of the signal box indicates what was then perceived to be the main route (to Balloch) at the time it was constructed. Note the small compact goods yard on the right-hand side which seems to be dealing predominantly with domestic coal traffic, a long-gone scene in today’s railway. Perhaps incorrectly the V3 is displaying a ‘Bridgeton Central’ world weary destination board on top of the smokebox. Dalreoch Junction signal box was closed and control passed to the new Power ‘box at Dumbarton Central on Monday, 27 February 1961 as part of the North Clyde electrification/re-signalling project. Built at Doncaster by the LNER in December 1931, 67626 spent most of its working life at Parkhead before being officially withdrawn exactly 31 years later on 31 December 1963 – although it had been noted as stored at Bo’ness in the April of 1962. The engine was finally disposed of at Darlington in October 1963, a mere 81 miles north of its birthplace. (WS2180) Opposite Bottom: Ardrossan Winton Pier was one of two stations serving steamer services from Ardrossan. This is Ardrossan’s own Fairburn 2-6-4T 42697 leaving the former Glasgow & South Western’s Ardrossan Winton Pier with a train for Glasgow St Enoch, on Tuesday, 18 August 1959. Winton Pier station was adjacent to Montgomerie Pier station, whose services took the Caledonian Railway (originally the Largs & Ardrossan Railway) route to Glasgow Central. Montgomerie Pier station closed in 1968. Winton Pier lasted longer, being the sole station serving Ardrossan Harbour until the current harbour station opened in 1987. (WS2297)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: Ayr’s 2P 4-4-0 40664 has just arrived at Heads of Ayr station with the 2.43pm from Ayr on Saturday, 18 June 1955. Heads of Ayr was the single platform terminus on a branch from Alloway on what was originally the Maidens and Dunure Light Railway, which ran right through to Girvan. It was opened after WW2 to serve Butlin’s Ayr Holiday camp. It only had a very limited service on Summer Saturdays and nothing on other days of the week, though the trains which did run could be loaded to fourteen coaches. The rather spartan station building also contained the signal box. Butlin’s camp achieved notoriety by having various steam locos on static display over the years, notably ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0T 32662 (now at Bressingham Steam Museum) and Stanier Pacific 6233 Duchess of Sutherland (now restored to main line operating condition). (WS2313) Opposite Top: A fine study of Leeds Holbeck’s rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ 46113 Cameronian, which seems to be having a little trouble keeping the steam in (unless it’s just the open cylinder drain cocks on departure) leaving Kilmarnock with the St Pancras bound ‘Thames-Clyde Express’ on Tuesday, 18 October 1955. Unlike most Anglo-Scottish expresses, the ‘ThamesClyde’ took the former G&SW route to Carlisle before the famed Settle & Carlisle line to Leeds, then onto London via the Midland. While all the Anglo Scottish routes have their scenic attributes, this routing is definitely top of the list! Kilmarnock station is still instantly recognisable, though some track and signalling rationalisation has taken place since 1955. (WS2314) Opposite Bottom: Fowler 4P Compound 41155 is correctly showing the Stranraer route indicator on the centre lamp bracket as it leads Stanier Black 5 45116 southbound from Ayr on a St Enoch – Stranraer Harbour relief service on Saturday, 3 July 1954. Two heads of steam are better than one, especially on the steeply graded line south of Ayr with numerous gradients to surmount before the final summit three and a half miles south of Barrhill. The train is passing the two loop platforms that were south of Ayr station and used mainly by terminating services from Dalmellington which then ran round and shunted across to form a return service. These additional platforms would have certainly helped a lot especially on Summer Saturdays when there was increased through traffic south of Ayr for Stranraer, Girvan and the Butlin’s Camp at Heads of Ayr. There were through walkways from both of these platforms to the main station to assist connecting passengers. 41155 was allocated to Ayr at the time of the photo and had two more years based there before being transferred south to Stranraer in September 1956. It was withdrawn from there in February 1957 and scrapped by the end of March that year. 45116 was allocated to St Rollox at the time of the photo and survived ten years longer than its assistant loco. It was transferred south of the border to Agecroft and spent the rest of its career working from numerous locations in England including the Midlands and the North Wales coast. It was withdrawn from Wigan Springs Branch at the end of July 1967, finally succumbing to the scrapman’s torch just short of six months later. Behind the plume of 45116’s exhaust and on the other side of Holmston Road overbridge can be seen the Ayr Station Hotel. This was opened in 1885/6 during the reconstruction of the station by the Glasgow and South Western Railway. The hotel came under the wing of the British Transport Commission following Nationalisation and was sold off in 1951 into private hands, finally closing in 2012. In August 2018 the poor condition of the structure forced the local council to build an exclusion zone around it which caused some difficulties in operating rail services through the station. (WS2338)
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Top: K2/2 61784 on the 2.45pm from Mallaig sits at Glenfinnan on Monday, 21 July 1958, probably waiting for the morning summer only service from Glasgow Queen Street, as the down section signal is showing clear at the end of the westbound platform. It seems that no attempt has been made to take water as the column indicator suggests the tank is full to the top. Two steam services crossing here had been replicated for a while on a daily basis in recent years, with the return of the morning Jacobite service from Mallaig meeting the afternoon trip coming out from Fort William during the height of the summer. Having said that, this crossing has now been moved to Arisaig with its longer loop which allows both Jacobite trains to convey seven coaches. The shorter loop at Glenfinnan had restricted the afternoon west bound service to six only. The water column is still there and operational as a contingency. Glenfinnan Museum have preserved the station to a very commendable standard, which includes a computer-based signalling simulation tied in with the lever frame in the signal box. 61784 was an unnamed member of the class and entered service at Doncaster in July 1921. It was previously based at Eastfield (twice) and St Margarets in Edinburgh before being allocated to Fort William in May 1957. It was withdrawn from there in March 1961 and scrapped at Inverurie later that year. (WS2422) Opposite Top: Ex-LNER Gresley K2/2 2-6-0 61776 on the 3pm Glasgow Queen Street-Ardlui passing through Shandon on Saturday, 1 September 1956. Although on the face of it the hamlet of Ardlui may seem an unusual destination for this working, it will quite likely have been one leg of a circular tour incorporating a boat trip along Loch Lomond from the pier at its destination. No doubt this self-same boat will have disgorged a large party of revellers who were doing the same tour, but in reverse. Note the fine NBR Stevens lattice post signal with its lower quadrant arm showing a definite proceed aspect. This typical West Highland oasis platform, complete with shrubs, small trimmed bushes and chalet style building, looks neat, tidy and well kept. Shandon closed on Sunday, 14 June 1964 when the local service between Craigendoran and Arrochar & Tarbet was withdrawn, although the signal box and crossing loop remained operational for a further 3 years, closing on Sunday 2 April 1967. Eventually the buildings and island platform were completely erased to allow the remaining single line a straight run through the former station area. Passing through at speed today you may just glimpse the old goods yard loading bank which was on the left and the fine former stationmaster’s house on the right. 61776 was built by Kitson & Company of Hunslet in Leeds in June 1921 and numbered 4686. Withdrawn from Eastfield in March 1959 it was then disposed of at Cowlairs Works a short four weeks later. (WS2424) Opposite: On Monday, 18 July 1955 K1 62031 is seen at the head of the 4.50pm Fort William to Mallaig on platform 1 of the original station at Fort William. Just visible on the left of the K1 on platform 2, the sleeping cars and the through coach for London Kings Cross are ready for departure at 5.45pm. During the high summer service, the Kings Cross coaches ran separately over the West Highland, running via the East Curve at Cowlairs to & from Edinburgh Waverley. This was a long shift for the London-based Sleeping Car attendant as, unlike today where cleaners are employed at Fort William, the attendant had to change the bedding in all the berths and clean them ready for the trip back south that evening. A few hours sleep might have been possible in one of the berths providing the working around the station wasn’t too noisy. (cont opposite).
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland A first-class sleeping berth, probably one in the middle of the coach which gave a smoother ride, was always held until just before departure time for Cameron of Lochiel. He was a member of the British Railways Board and also the House of Lords, so late notice trips to London were not unknown. Visible on the railway pier are three of MacBrayne’s buses parked ready to work local services around Fort William. Some hardy souls can be seen making their way down the slipway to board the Camusnagaul ferry. This provided a service to the local community on the other side of Loch Linnhe as the road journey was somewhat circuitous, either via the Corran Ferry some miles to the south, or around the head of Loch Eil. 62031 was the first K1 to be withdrawn. This was from Fort William on 28 February 1963 following the introduction of the new diesel fleet on the West Highland line. 62031 was disposed of at Cowlairs Works in March 1964. In June 1975, following the first part of a major road construction project in the town, the old station closed. The new Fort William station was built on the site of the original Town goods yard with goods and locomotive servicing facilities having been relocated to a purpose-built depot out at Tom-na-Faire the previous year. (WS2437)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: Eastfield based Reid C15 0-4-4T number 67474 on the 4.50pm push-pull service from Arrochar & Tarbet to Craigendoran stops to bask in the evening sun at Garelochhead on Saturday, 1 September 1956, probably returning on its 5th and last trip along the lower part of the West Highland that day. Calling at all stations, namely Helensburgh Upper, Shandon, Garelochhead, Whistlefield and terminating at Arrochar it did not appear to attract much custom but, in common with many other rural branch lines, an attempt was made to re-vitalise traffic by the introduction of diesel railbuses in the early 1960s. Previously closed Rhu and a new halt at Glen Douglas passing place were additionally provided from April 1960. Even that did not generate the required results as by Sunday, 14 June 1964 this local service was withdrawn completely and all the intermediate stations except Garelochhead and Helensburgh Upper were closed. 67474 was built by the Yorkshire Engine Company for the North British Railway in August 1913 and withdrawn following the introduction of the railbuses when based at Eastfield in April 1960. Disposal was over 6 weeks later at Cowlairs Works in May 1960. (WS2440) Opposite Bottom: 62496 Glen Loy and 62471 Glen Falloch double heading the 1pm Up passenger from Mallaig to Glasgow Queen Street, seen coasting into Shandon at 6.31pm on Friday, 8 May 1959 (See also WS189 on page 8). The 1pm conveyed a portion for London Kings Cross from Fort William and arrived in the nation’s capital city at 6.20am. This overnight service to Kings Cross actually started on Monday 22 July 1901 for the summer months only but eventually became year-round and still runs today (but normally to Euston). In the first year of the line’s operation, what was then the 4.20pm from Fort William met with an unfortunate and somewhat spectacular accident here. It was a wild West Highland night, and the Shandon signalman could not pull himself away from the office fire, neither to clean and trim the signal lamps nor to reset the points after the previous northbound service. The 4.20pm was double-headed with the lead driver already on duty for 11 hours and the train engine driver 14 hours – and very likely at least another 2 hours before finishing their shifts. These lapses and circumstances then snowballed towards an unfortunate, some might say inevitable conclusion. The distant signal lamp had gone out and the tired leading driver missed it in the dark. The signalman, the real culprit on this miserable night, only sprinted along to the signal box to turn the north end points when he heard the 4.20pm coming, and succeeded in shifting them under the train causing a derailment between the 1st and 2nd coach. He could only stand in awe as the two engines and 1st coach rattled under overbridge 15 into the down platform as the 2nd portion travelled into the up – between the two portions, the 2nd coach was dragged up the platform ramp and toppled over. Thankfully, being a lightly loaded train only one passenger required hospital treatment; not a very auspicious start to the fledgling West Highland Railway. (WS2443) Below: Fort William based Black 5 44975 working the summer only 5.13pm Fort William to Glasgow Queen Street awaits the right away at Crianlarich Upper on Saturday, 14 June 1958. There appears little evidence of water having been taken perhaps due to the relatively light weight nature of the train (it looks to be around 6 bogies/200 tons) so a top up at Ardlui is no doubt planned where crossing and changeover with the evening northbound is likely. Note the limited goods traffic in the yard, in the shape of at least two wagons loaded with domestic coal for the village and surrounding area. What looks like the local engineering train complete with messing coach for the permanent way staff is stabled in the loading bank siding. There is a curious load on the plate wagon next to the brake van, it looks for all the world like a large rubber dinghy – surely not? Note also the tall pole in the centre of the island platform resembling a shepherd’s crook from where illumination was provided after dark. The twin water columns had their own lighting in the shape of a standard NBR oil lamp on top of a sleeper concreted into the platform between them – that sleeper post (without lamp...) was still there in 1977. (WS2448)
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Above: It’s Saturday, 20 June 1959 and BR Standard 5 73077 piloting Stanier Black 5 44977 double head the 4.35pm Glasgow Queen Street evening passenger to Mallaig, making what must amount to the closest that Crianlarich would ever come to ‘Götterdammerung’. This atmospheric and powerful exit over the junction for the Oban line is undoubtedly in preparation for the assault of the 1 in 60, 5 mile climb to Tyndrum Upper ahead. Note the mix of ex LNE and BR standard Mark 1 coaches in the train which was common at the time. The points and diamond crossing here could take a bit of a battering, hence the reason for the neat piles of chairs and sleepers lying in the vee of the junction ready to be used to maintain the permanent way in a good operational condition. Judging by the condition of the sleepers stacked in the centre they have already been taken out and replaced. This ongoing frequent preventative maintenance continued right up to simplification and renewal of the junction in 1986. 44977 was withdrawn from Ayr Shed in November 1966 after 20 years’ service, then disposed of at Inslow Works, Wishaw on 31 May 1967. 73077 was withdrawn from Corkerhill on 31 January 1965 after 10 years in harness and interestingly disposed of at Shipbreaking Industries Ltd of Faslane on the Gareloch during the latter part of March 1965. (WS2467) Opposite: It’s the late afternoon on Monday, 22 August 1955 and one of W A Stanier’s legendary Princess Royal Pacifics, 46212 Duchess of Kent working the 11.20am Birmingham New Street to Glasgow Central eases to its booked stop at Symington. A portion for Edinburgh Princes Street will be detached off the rear and will be worked forward direct, using the other side of the Carstairs triangle from Strawfrank Junction to Dolphinton Junction. Three times a day, Symington took on a less sedentary air when dealing with the attaching & detaching of Edinburgh Princes Street portions of WCML services to and from Birmingham New Street and a portion for the Glasgow Central to Manchester Victoria service. Symington’s layout lent itself to the ease of attaching and detaching and significantly reduced congestion at Carstairs, however the down working from Manchester Victoria shed its Princes Street portion at the latter station. Some local services from Princes Street ran direct to Symington to connect into WCML through services. Prior to 1954 Symington was the junction for the Peebles branch of the former Caledonian Railway; this closed to passengers in 1954 and was cut back to Broughton for freight traffic only. A significant amount of meat traffic emanated from both Broughton and Biggar which kept the branch open until 1966. Symington was served by two Carstairs based trip workings, these being K102, which dealt with the traffic on the Broughton branch and K107, which three days a week served local stations to and from Elvanfoot. On the alternate three days, K107 only ran as far as Symington before returning to Carstairs and spending the rest of the day working on the former Caledonian line as far as Camps Junction just beyond Midcalder. In the late 1950’s the flow of meat traffic was enough for a fast freight service to run from Symington to London Broad Street, conveying traffic from the Broughton branch. Symington had a reasonably sized goods yard situated to the south of the station between the former Peebles branch line and the WCML. An island platform on the Up side plus a bay on the Down side allowed for some flexibility when dealing with the attaching and detaching of the portion working. The signals seen on the left of the picture dealt with moves from the Up Loop platform to either the main line, branch line or the Goods yard. The station itself closed to passengers in 1965 with the signal box closing in 1972. 46212 was for the majority of its nigh-on twenty six year career based at Crewe North shed. It was withdrawn from there in October 1961 and met its end in the same place it was built back in October 1935, being scrapped in April 1962 at Crewe Works. (WS2513)
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Bob Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson TheAvery, Steam Railway Western Scotland
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Above: BR Standard light Pacific 72004 Clan Macdonald at the head of the 14-coach ‘Starlight Special’ to London on Friday, 4 July 1958. It’s at Terminus Junction, Glasgow, and is veering off on to the GB&K line to Kilmarnock. This train originated at Gourock, though most of the ‘Starlight Special’ workings used Glasgow St Enoch. The ‘Starlight Specials’ were overnight holiday trains to and from London and were an attempt to stave off competition from the burgeoning long distance motor coach industry. The cost of a return ticket was just under £4 in today’s terms, and had to be booked in advance. Running northbound on Friday nights and returning on Saturday nights, the idea was to give holidaymakers extra full days in Scotland, at a time when nearly all holidays ran Saturday to Saturday. A refreshment car and breakfast facilities were available. The trains ran from 1953 to 1958 during the summer months. (WS2548) Opposite Top: A lovely shot of Shields Road station on Friday, 11 April 1958. Stanier 2-6-2T 40185 is running in with an early afternoon service from Paisley St James to Glasgow St Enoch. It was based at Carlisle (Kingmoor) at that time – confirmed by the 68A shedplate. Shields Road had four platforms, two of which were once named ‘Pollokshields’ – not to be confused with the still extant Pollokshields East and West stations not far away but on another route! Shields Junction was where lines to Central station and St Enoch station split. The station closed in 1966. To add to the confusion, there’s also a Shields Road station on the Glasgow Subway, which is still open. (WS2549) Opposite Bottom: On the last day of passenger services over the short branch line, ex Caledonian Railway 439 Class 2P 55232 is taking water at Moffat after arriving with the 2.20pm service from Beattock. Passenger trains were worked in pushpull mode between Beattock & Moffat with run-round facilities available for the daily goods service as evidenced by the loco release ground frame below the water tank. The view looks from the platform end towards the centre of this busy market town with the A701 behind the fence to the left. Passenger services were officially withdrawn on Monday, 6 December 1954 (this photo being taken two days previously) with freight services lasting until 6 April 1964. A short stub of the Moffat branch is still visible at Beattock as it forms the headshunt for the Up sidings. In the days of the branch passenger services part of these sidings formed the Moffat Bay platform. 55232 was one of McIntosh’s Standard Passenger Tanks and ended its 39 year working life based at Dumfries, being withdrawn on 30 September 1961. The locomotive then wended its way to the north east of Scotland for disposal at Inverurie Works in June 1962. (WS2615)
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Above: Gresley V3 67607 working the 3.50pm from Helensburgh Central to Bridgeton Central passing through Dalreoch at around 4.8pm on Saturday, 11 July 1959. Arrival time at Bridgeton would be 4.55pm. Note the 20mph permanent speed restriction for the down line to Helensburgh at the foot of the junction signal. The main building on the left no doubt incorporated the Stationmaster’s house ‘above the shop’, so he would essentially never really be regarded as ‘off duty’. These buildings and the footbridge at Dalreoch have long since been replaced by more ‘modern’ structures. 67607 was withdrawn from Hurlford on 3 December 1962 after a working life of 32 years, then disposed of at Darlington Works on 30 November 1963. (WS2628) Opposite Top: Fairburn 2-6-4Ts 42123 and 42239 leave Glasgow St Enoch with the 10.40am ‘Empress Voyager’ Ocean Liner Special to Greenock Princes Pier on Saturday, 10 September 1955. The photographer took several shots of these fascinating workings, which clearly warranted clean locomotives and stock complete with roof boards, and were always double-headed, either with two big tanks as shown, or by a tank and ‘2P’ 4-4-0 combination, as shown in picture WS972. This was necessitated by gradients on the line and a heavy train. The name ‘St Enoch’ lives on as it refers to a modern shopping centre on the site of Glasgow’s G&SWR terminus, though the remains of part of the approach viaducts can still be seen from an adjacent car park in the vicinity of Shipbank Lane, one-time home of Glasgow’s ‘Paddy’s Market’. (Loco 42239 can also be seen in picture WS6254 on page 86). (WS2907) Opposite Bottom: A lovely, if slightly hazy, vista of the Firth of Clyde on Saturday, 23 August 1958, looking down on Greenock as Fairburn 2-6-4T 42240, then based at Greenock Ladyburn, climbs above Port Glasgow with a stopping train from Princes Pier, composed of five non-corridor coaches on the long-gone G&SWR route to Glasgow St Enoch. The view of tenement buildings, the distant cranes of Greenock’s Scotts Shipyard and the even more distant hills of the Cowal Peninsula make the location instantly recognisable, despite the numerous changes that have occurred in the 65+ years or so that have passed since this picture was taken. (WS2913)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: A fine shot of Greenock Princes Pier approach on Saturday, 30 July 1955, with Greenock Ladyburn’s exCaledonian Railway “Dunalastair IV Superheater” 4-4-0 54453 shunting vans. The photographer describes the train being shunted as a ‘luggage special’, presumably in connection with one of the Ocean Liner sailings from Greenock, or possibly troop movement trains which also used Princes Pier. The magnificent G&SWR signal cabin and array of semaphores make up this extremely pleasing view. The platform ends can be clearly seen, and behind them the hills behind Helensburgh on the opposite side of the Firth of Clyde. (WS2930) Opposite Bottom: The highly satisfactory pairing of two consecutively numbered and virtually new BR standard Class 5s 73055 and 73056, both from Polmadie, leaving Glasgow Central in the face of an easterly wind with the 12.10pm ‘Dining Special’ for Murrayfield. February and Murrayfield can only mean one thing – international Rugby Union. On this occasion it was a Scotland v Ireland Five Nations match on Saturday, 23 February 1957 – a low scoring game which Ireland won 5-3. The passengers were no doubt suitably wined and dined en route to the match. The train was almost certainly routed via the former Caledonian Railway route via Shotts to Murrayfield which was on the Caledonian’s Leith Branch. It closed in 1964. (WS2995) Below: On Friday, 30 October 1959, Ardrossan-based Fowler 2P 40669 is observed passing Pollok Junction signalbox with the 1.40 pm Glasgow St Enoch – Largs service. Lines to and from Glasgow Central via Pollokshields are hidden by the train in the photograph and the double junction seen below the signalbox was formerly worked by the ex-Caledonian Railway’s Maxwell Junction signalbox. This closed in 1924 with control of the pointwork passing to Pollok Junction signalbox. The bottom two lines in the centre of the photo led up to Bellahouston No 1 signalbox. This gave access from Terminus Junction to the former G&SWR Canal line which was just up & out of shot on the right. Terminus Junction was one of the key locations on the south side of Glasgow controlling access to the former Caledonian main line, the Joint line via Barrhead onto Kilmarnock and also the Cathcart Circle. The two lines seen disappearing in the bottom left-hand corner led up to Shields No 1 Junction and allowed traffic to & from Terminus Junction to access the Glasgow & Paisley Joint railway towards Paisley Gilmour St. The rear three coaches of the train are passing over the lines that led to Kinning Park Goods which also encompassed the “Burma Road” from Shields No 1 Junction towards Terminus Junction. This dive-under reduced potential delays at Shields No 1 Junction as goods traffic from the Paisley Gilmour St direction didn’t need to cross the lines from both St Enoch and Central on the level. It still serves this function today, though freight traffic is greatly diminished. In the background is the Clutha Works of P & W MacClellan who were one of Glasgow’s major engineering manufacturers. Products from here were shipped to locations all across the world. Rail access was provided both for inward raw materials and finished goods. 40669 was designed by Henry Fowler and built at Derby Works in January 1932. It entered traffic at Ardrossan MPD and remained there for the rest of its career, being withdrawn in September 1961. Scrapping took place sometime in September 1963. (WS3900)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: A fascinating and extremely rare shot of ‘WD’ 2-10-0 601 Kitchener, normally based on Hampshire’s Longmoor Military Railway. Number 601 went on holiday to Scotland in 1957, where it was used on trials with air braked freight trains to Ravenscraig steel works. These needed a suitably equipped heavy freight locomotive, which were thin on the ground in the 1950s. It was also ‘borrowed’ to work other freight services. Bill caught one such working here on Saturday, 29 June, probably as a result of some helpful ‘gen’ passed in his direction, as 601 comes off the line from General Terminus to join the Glasgow to Barrhead and Kilmarnock Line from St Enoch at Strathbungo Junction (now known as Muirhouse South Junction). A year later, 601 would re-enter her North British Works birthplace and emerge as an oil burner. The large building to the left behind the signal box was the large Coplawhill Tram Depot and workshops. BR’s fleet of 25 similar WD 2-10-0s, numbered 90750-774, none of them air-braked, served their whole working lives almost entirely in Scotland, shared between Grangemouth, Polmadie, Motherwell, Hamilton, Carstairs and Carlisle Kingmoor sheds. (WS3122) Opposite Bottom: One of Eastfield’s N15 0-6-2 tanks 69188 designed by Reid of the NBR and introduced in 1910, makes a stirring sight banking the ‘Queen of Scots Pullman’ out of Glasgow Queen Street on Saturday, 10 May 1958. Eastfield had 19 of these engines in 1958, used for various pilot and carriage shunting duties, and banking on the famous Cowlairs Incline in particular. In the background is a Swindon ‘Inter-City’ DMU on a Glasgow-Edinburgh service, its presence foretelling the end for steam bankers. The spectacle clearly enthrals at least three people on the platform. After their smoky passage through the tunnels and up the incline to Cowlairs, the Pullman’s passengers will have a luxurious though somewhat circuitous route to London, via Edinburgh, Newcastle, Ripon, Harrogate and Leeds. The ‘Queen of Scots’ stopped running in 1964. (WS3210) Below: Standard 5 73010, on holiday from Leeds Holbeck, working the 9.25am Heads of Ayr to Edinburgh Princes Street service is observed standing on the Up Main at Glasgow’s West St signal box awaiting acceptance from Larkfield Junction on Saturday, 29 June 1957. On the Down Main, Carlisle Kingmoor’s Black 5 44886 working an unidentified special takes water before drawing down to Terminus Junction and heading off to either one of the Clyde Coast resorts or maybe even Heads of Ayr, which was the nearest station to the Butlin’s Camp. Standing in the Shunting loop in front of the signal box is an ex Caledonian 2F 57278, a long-term Motherwell resident, working one of the local trips as shown by the identification plate on the centre lamp iron. Once 73010 departs towards Larkfield Junction, 57278 will follow it round to continue its work. (WS3249)
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Clydebank Riverside was on the former Caledonian Railway route to Dumbarton and Balloch, which paralleled the current North British route as far as Dumbarton. Not surprisingly it closed to passengers in 1964, though odds and ends remained for a few more years to serve Clydeside’s industries after the end of passenger service. Wednesday, 14 December 1955 looks to have been a pretty miserable day for HRH Princess Margaret to journey there by Royal Train to launch the Cunard liner Carinthia, one of four similar Clyde-built vessels. In charge is a single Black Five, Carlisle Kingmoor’s 45481. The platform, together with the bay platform to the right, were normally used for workmen’s trains. But to judge from the superb set of blood and custard Stanier 57’ coaches occupying that platform, and the large saloon car parked nearby, Her Royal Highness was not the only distinguished visitor that day. The onlookers are probably enjoying a change from their daily chores to watch the comings and goings with interest. (WS3253)
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It’s difficult to reconcile this view taken on Thursday, 23 July 1959 with what is today Glasgow’s Exhibition Centre station. While both are semi-subterranean, today’s station is electrified and modern with a totally different track layout. The station closed less than a month after this shot was taken, reopened as Finnieston in November 1979, and changed its name to Exhibition Centre in 1986. Fairburn 2-6-4T 42200, based at Motherwell, is about to take its passengers through Glasgow’s smoky city centre tunnels on its journey to Rutherglen, over what would later become the electrified Argyle Line. (WS3334)
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Above: Former Caledonian Railway 0-6-0T 56305 drifts south through Cathcart on Friday, 28 October 1955 with a short freight, probably bound for the Neilston line. Bill describes this as a local freight trip, but somehow has more of the appearance of an engineer’s train. This picture was taken 60 years after the class’s introduction in 1895. 56305 is Glasgow born and bred, working out of Polmadie shed. The station is still recognisable today, despite the advent of electrification and modern signalling. (WS3365) Opposite Top: Polmadie’s BR standard 2-6-4T 80027 doing what it was designed to do – suburban passenger work, bunker first if necessary. It’s calling at Mount Florida with a Cathcart Circle working in the afternoon of Wednesday, 26 October 1955. The small ‘John Menzies’ stall is a nice touch but seems devoid of custom, though evening papers could be flowing once the passengers disgorge from the train. Passenger numbers swelled considerably on match days at nearby Hampden Park stadium, and football specials sometimes terminated here. The station is largely unchanged today, and the footpath from which this shot is taken still provides the same view, despite electrification, though sadly without the newspaper kiosk. (WS3368) Opposite Bottom: Glasgow’s General Terminus handled bulk ore for the Lanarkshire steel industry before the coming of the purpose-built coal and ore terminal at Hunterston on the Ayrshire coast. 90616 and 90199, two of Polmadie’s ‘WD’ 2-8-0s, team up to lift a heavy load of iron ore on Saturday, 28 March 1959. These heavy freight engines were a wartime design built in large numbers, and an astonishing 733 of them found their way into BR’s hands, while others survived in parts of Europe. In addition, a smaller class of 25 2-10-0s, outwardly similar, were all based in Scotland. (WS3410)
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Above: If the 4.20pm Perth to Glasgow Queen Street is running to time on Saturday, August 16 1958 then it’s probably around 6.45pm as 43136 passes the east end of Eastfield loco depot. The 4.20pm from Perth had a somewhat circuitous route taking approximately two and a half hours for its journey running via Glenfarg, Kinross Junction, across the Devon Valley line to Alloa then traversing the lesser known Forth Bridge at Throsk to Larbert and eventually Glasgow Queen Street. At Alloa the 4.20pm from Perth met its opposite number, the 4.30pm from Glasgow Queen Street which took the same route back to Perth. Not a journey for those in a hurry! The houses in Everard Drive seen on the hill above don’t enjoy such a clear view of the railway these days with the clutter of electrification and remodelling together with vegetation growth. Ivatt designed 4MT 43136 was built at Horwich Works in December 1951 and started its twelve and a half year career at Eastfield. At the time of the photograph 43136 had returned there after spending a month at Perth South before heading across the city to Parkhead and Dawsholm in the early 60s. In November 1963, 43136 left Scotland for the final time heading to the North Eastern region at Ardsley from where it was withdrawn in the July of 1964. It met its end at Cashmore’s scrapyard in Great Bridge during November 1964. (WS3422)
Opposite Top: Horwich built BR Standard Class 4 2-6-0 76004 at the head of an eastbound Orange Walk special from Balloch Central is captured passing over the junction at Dalreoch on Saturday, 11 July 1959. This was one of at least two special workings that day as another had been recorded at Balloch Central (see WS1037). The positioning of the signal box along the line to Balloch can be clearly seen from this angle, not only that but construction of the later line towards Helensburgh necessitated the slewing of the ‘box stairs over to the right at the base. The replacement, taller station footbridge with higher solid sides would have prevented a photograph from this vantage point. There is evidence of the new overhead line masts for the forthcoming electrification beyond the signal box. 76004 was withdrawn from Polmadie on 31 October 1966 and disposed of at Campbells, Airdrie at the end of January 1967. (WS3430)
Opposite Bottom: One of Corkerhill’s seven former Caledonian Railway 3F 0-6-0Ts shunts at King George V dock, Shieldhall, Glasgow on Tuesday, 13 March 1956. There were larger allocations of similar engines at other Glasgow area sheds. Of interest in this beautiful study are the ships – behind the engine is the MS Antenor – then virtually brand new. She was built on Tyneside for Alfred Holt & Company who owned the Ocean Shipping Company and the Blue Funnel Line. In the background is Clan Macaulay, built in Greenock in 1936, and was part of Clan Line’s extensive fleet, all named after Clans. She was scrapped in 1963 in Dalmuir. King George V dock (which is no longer rail connected) still sees some commercial shipping, and was the temporary home for three ships belonging to the Azamara cruise line, for several months during the Covid19 pandemic. (WS3443)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: Scotstoun East was an island platform station on the Lanarkshire and Dumbartonshire Railway, later part of the Caledonian network, and running broadly parallel to the existing North British route to the north west of Glasgow. The station, along with much of the route, closed in 1964. Bill captured Dalmarnock’s ‘WD’ 2-8-0 90493 on an unidentified freight, heading east judging by the sun angle, on Wednesday, 18 April 1956. The extensive canopies and spacious platform are testament to the Caledonian’s attempts to compete with the North British for commuter traffic. Classic Glasgow tenement architecture is visible to the right of the locomotive. (WS3514) Opposite: Caledonian 0-6-0T 56238, which called nearby Yoker shed home, shunts wagons in Rothesay Dock yard on Friday, 20 April 1956. The dock, on the north side of the river, opened in 1907 and dealt with coal and mineral traffic primarily for the burgeoning steel industry. The dock achieved some fame through being built on reclaimed land, and by being one of the first in the UK to use electricity rather than hydraulic power for its cranes and other equipment, and had its own power station to provide the necessary oomph. Its construction was deemed necessary to alleviate congestion at General Terminus and Glasgow Harbour elsewhere on the Clyde. Decline came steadily, hastened first by all ore for the new Ravenscraig steelworks being handled at General Terminus, and later the purpose-built deep water facility at Hunterston. A brief renaissance occurred in the late 1980s with flows of imported coal to Kincardine and Longannet power stations, the coal trains making an incongruous sight as they snaked through Yoker EMU depot (once the site of a marshalling yard to serve Rothesay Dock) to access the main line. Now Rothesay Dock, General Terminus, Hunterston, Ravenscraig and Longannet have all passed into history. (WS3515)
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Below: The Whiteinch Tramway was an extension of the Whiteinch Railway, which ran from Jordanhill to Whiteinch, running largely through the streets to serve industries. It’s fascinating to see photographs of these railway backwaters – the closure date of this one doesn’t seem to be recorded, but on Thursday, 12 June 1958 loco 56029, a former Caledonian Railway ‘Pug’ dating from the 1880s is shunting on South Street in the Stobcross area of the city, north of the river, as a Riley saloon car takes avoiding action. The engine was based at Dawsholm shed, a couple of miles away. In the background there’s a glimpse of the higher level Whiteinch Riverside station, on the Caledonian operated line from Glasgow Central to Dumbarton and Balloch. Waiting passengers might find their boredom relieved by watching 56029 shunting shipyards and granaries adjacent to the river. (WS3517)
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Some disruption to traffic in and out of Glasgow Central is undoubtedly being caused on Friday, 4 November 1955 as Polmadie depot’s 30 ton steam breakdown crane RS 1071 is in the process of rerailing former Caledonian Railway 439 class 55220 (locally allocated to Polmadie), having become derailed between Bridge Street and Glasgow Central. Whilst the fitting staff busy themselves with the business of ensuring the chains and shackles of the lifting gear are secure and ready for the lift, the local Traffic Inspector is seen having a quiet smoke, whilst no doubt contemplating the writing of the required investigation report. The fitting staff who accompanied the crane on its journey from Polmadie to site are in all likelihood mentally assessing the potential for an overtime payment as they strive to rerail the errant 55220. This engine was originally built for the Caledonian Railway in St Rollox as loco number 231, released to traffic in June 1913 and was withdrawn from Oban on 31 October 1961. It met its end at Inverurie Works in May 1962 after a 49 year working life. RS 1071 was the Breakdown Crane based at Polmadie and dealt with any mishaps on the south side of the city and out to the west on both former Caledonian and G&SW lines. It was built by Ransomes & Rapier of Ipswich. (WS3578)
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Above: Charing Cross station serves the mainly business district around the west end of Glasgow’s famous Sauchiehall Street. It’s located on the other largely subterranean route through Glasgow, that from Partick through to Queen Street Low Level, Shettleston to Airdrie. This view on Wednesday, 2 July 1958 shows a V1 2-6-2T, its identity obscured by the destination board, heading an eastbound train into the station. It has just emerged from Finnieston tunnel and will enter Charing Cross tunnel behind the camera after its station stop. The waiting passengers have seen it all before many times. The lady on the left has her back turned, perhaps to shield her face from the V1’s emissions. Today, as well as electrification, much of the station is covered by concrete from various construction projects, which serves to keep passengers dry from Glasgow’s not infrequent wet weather. (WS3598) Opposite Top: Caledonian Railway McIntosh ‘Standard Passenger’ 0-4-4T 55189 drifts into Eglinton Street, almost at the end of its perambulation around the Cathcart Circle, on Thursday, 8 September 1955.This station marks the point where routes to Rutherglen (and the WCML south) and Cathcart Circle lines converge for the final hurl over the Clyde into Glasgow Central station. There is evidence of a station here since 1879 albeit the official opening date is February 1909. Though it comprised six platforms, receipts were probably never that great, and closure came in 1965. The platform mounds are still visible, while the site and railway are overshadowed by the concrete of the M74 motorway extension, completed in 1994. Loco 55189, one of a class of 92, was built at St Rollox in 1907 and based at various locations in Scotland, but from 1952-59 it was at Polmadie working Glasgow area suburban trains. Since coming into the care of the Scottish Railway Preservation Society it has brought pleasure to many thousands, bearing the number 419 and adorned in (amongst other liveries since preservation) Caledonian Railway blue. It is a regular performer on the Bo’ness and Kinneil Railway, and has served as ambassador for Scottish steam at other tourist lines and events throughout the UK. (WS3646) Opposite Bottom: An everyday scene on Wednesday, 26 February 1958, but one which would induce a double-take today! In 2022 John Brown & Co (Clydebank) Ltd’s engine No 2 – a Neilson product of 1896 – crosses Glasgow’s tramlines amongst the cobblestones in Dumbarton Road and into the shipyard’s premises with at least one plate wagon – probably loaded with sheet steel – from Clydebank West Goods station. It’s causing a minor traffic hold up in the process. The locomotive had already had a working life of 62 years when this picture was taken. (WS3732)
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Opposite Top: Another location where railways and tramways coincided – this time on the South of the River where industrial locos from Andrew Stephen & Co, Shipbuilders at Linhouse, used Glasgow’s tramlines for a short distance of approximately 3/4 mile to reach BR’s Shieldhall Goods. Here a 1924-built Andrew Barclay 0-4-0ST trundles along Renfrew Road engaged in this task, mixing happily with fairly light road traffic, hauling three empty plate wagons, on Wednesday, 26 February 1958. (WS3733) Opposite Bottom: Another wonderful glimpse of rarely photographed steam in industry: This is one of Andrew Barclay’s 0-4-0STs – works number 1219 of 1910, shunting a boiler across West Langlands Street at Kilmarnock on Tuesday, 18 October 1955. This was part of the Caledonia works complex where Andrew Barclay built and overhauled industrial locomotives. The boiler being shunted is probably destined to become part of a new locomotive. Rail engineering continues on the site. Until the summer of 2020 it was part of the Wabtec group who repaired and refurbished rolling stock from all over the UK. It’s now operated by Brodie Engineering, who are using the location as an extension to their existing facility located on the north side of the Barassie line at Kilmarnock. (WS3763) Above: A delightful scene of steam well out of the public eye: The former NBR terminus at Hamilton, closed to passengers four years before this wintry scene was taken. Caledonian 0-6-0T 56362 is going about its unremarkable and not-long-forthis-world business on Wednesday, 11 January 1956. The engine is based not far away at Hamilton MPD. The NB station at Hamilton was opened in 1878 to compete with the Caledonian. The site of the station is now occupied by a local primary school. A new connection from the former Caledonian line through Hamilton was constructed (visible in the left of this picture) to allow continued access for freight traffic once the NB station had closed in 1952. (WS3773)
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Above: We’ve quite deliberately avoided shed scenes when compiling this book, but an exception in this case is justified. The Great Western Railway’s preserved 4-4-0 3440 City of Truro is admired on Polmadie shed during a visit to Scotland in September of 1959. It worked some railtours with Scottish preserved engines, and former GNoSR 4-4-0 Gordon Highlander (now in the Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo’ness) is parked behind the visitor. 3440’s claim to fame is that it was the first British steam locomotive to reach 100mph, though arguments still rage about the validity or otherwise of that claim. The number of former Great Western locomotives that have ventured to Scotland is small – the most famous being ‘Hall’ class 4-6-0 4930 Olton Hall, in recent years, a.k.a. Hogwarts Castle. (WS3784) Opposite Top: With the instantly recognisable McCaigs Tower in the distance ex Caley Pickersgill 2P 0-4-4T 55200 departs from Platform 1 at Oban on Monday, 24 September 1956, working the 4.55pm school train for Ballachulish while sister engine 55208 is acting as station pilot in Platform 4 on the left. Note that even by this time the semaphore signals were still lower quadrant, but this would change soon. The coaching stock in Platform 3 is most likely the recently arrived midday from Glasgow Buchanan Street waiting to be moved over to Platform 2 for the tea time departure south. The school train was notorious locally and gained the nickname ‘The Appin Murderer’. A passenger guard could be seen studying the following weeks roster and be told by a fellow member of train crew ‘You’re on the ‘murderer’ next week then are you?’ ‘How did you know that?’ he responded, ‘Yer face is a white as a sheet,’ would come the learned reply. The school children from along the branch were boisterous to say the least, even being known to walk along the outside of the coaches between stations to batter on the adjacent compartment windows, scaring the wits out of the various local residents who also used this particular service…often perhaps understandably as a last resort. (WS3794) Opposite Bottom: McIntosh 0-4-4Ts 55195 with the 3.55pm Ballachulish-Oban (on the left) and 55196 working the 4.55pm Oban-Ballachulish crossing at Connel Ferry during a ‘rush hour’ on Monday, 19 July 1954. Connel Ferry had a curious but flexible layout, the island platform on the right was for the up and down main line trains with the platform on the left being predominantly for the Ballachulish branch services. After the branch closed at the end of March 1966 the junction station lingered on as a passing place on the main line until the East and West signal boxes were closed in January 1967. The layout was then completely rationalised and the former Ballachulish platform became the sole remaining one for the reduced services of three up and four down trains that remained. An oil depot with two sidings and a short loop worked by ground frames survived at the east end in an area once curiously known by older local railwaymen as ‘Moscow’. Only the main building on the left remained until the station became unstaffed and it was converted to a garage but when that ceased trading it was eventually demolished and a standard bus type shelter provided. Even the oil depot is sadly no longer rail served and the sidings were lifted during 2021. A small consolation, if it can be called that, is the retention of the short rounding loop at the east end; a sad conclusion to a once very busy country junction. (WS3795)
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Above: Caley Pickersgill 2P 0-4-4T number 55208 (see also WS3794) working the 3.48pm Ballachulish to Oban arriving at Ballachulish Ferry station on a rather damp Monday, 26 May 1958. After reversal at Connel Ferry the arrival at Oban was due at 5.32pm. At least five intending passengers are waiting to join whilst the porter in charge adjusts his cap and makes himself ready to collect the tickets from any disembarking travellers. The all-wooden station building was a unique design and was by this time showing signs of settlement but you may also note that more modern British Railways blue enamel signs had replaced the original Caledonian versions. As the station name suggests there was a ferry provided here over the mouth of Loch Leven to North Ballachulish which lasted until 1975 when a new road bridge carrying the A82 was opened. The local population did not want their railway to close and put up a decent fight to stop it happening, sadly though this only meant that the original closure date in 1964 was postponed until March 1966. Post closure the track was lifted with an almost indecent haste so that several lengths of the A828 road re-alignment using the old track bed along the shores of Loch Linnhe could be carried out. (WS3802) Opposite Top: Stanier 2-6-2T 40189, based at Dawsholm shed, hurries bunker first through the disused but pristine station at Kirklee on Saturday, 24 October 1959. The train is the 9.54am from Law Junction and will have made a smoky journey underneath the city centre on its way here. The station buildings are in private hands, evidenced by the fencing, as the station closed as long ago as 1939. Kirklee is on the former Glasgow Central Railway, much of which survives as Glasgow’s Argyle line, but this segment from Partick to Maryhill Central closed in the late 1960s. (WS3924) Opposite Bottom: V1 2-6-2T 67678, from Parkhead shed, leaves Craigendoran for the city and beyond on Saturday, 13 February 1960, having originated at Helensburgh Central. On the extreme right is the West Highland line to Fort William, which has left the main line at Craigendoran Junction behind the camera, and has already started the climb to Helensburgh Upper and Garelochhead. Behind the train is the curved single platform serving the pier, in theory the separate Craigendoran Pier station, where Clyde ferries called. This was an attempt by the North British Railway to compete with boat connections offered by the Glasgow and South Western and the Caledonian Railways on the other side of the Clyde at Greenock. The West Highland lost its platform in 1964, and the pier lines closed in 1972. This photo demonstrates that winter sun occasionally happens in western Scotland and that the photographer was not averse to standing on the ‘wrong’ side for the sun; this technique can be effective. (WS4043)
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On Saturday, 9 April 1960 Parkhead shed’s V1 67622 storms away from Dumbarton, passing over East Junction and heading for the original North British route via Dumbuck. Work is well under way for the introduction of the Glasgow North Electrification scheme and the new “Blue” Trains as evidenced by the stanchions and overhead wiring. The former North British route is in its final fourteen days of use. As from 3am on Monday, 25 April 1960 all services were diverted via the former Caledonian route which ran via Dumbarton East rejoining the former North British route at Bowling. This was in preparation for the forthcoming electric service. The former North British lines were removed, except a few hundred yards at the Bowling end which formed part of the reception lines for the large Esso Oil Terminal at Dunglass. V1 67622 was built for the LNER at Doncaster Works in October 1931 and was initially allocated to Parkhead shed. It was withdrawn from there in March 1962 and spent some time stored on the dump at Bo’ness before being disposed of at Darlington Works at the end of March 1963. (WS4208)
Having just collected the tablet for the single line section to Helensburgh Upper from the Craigendoran signalman, former Great North of Scotland Railway D40 4-4-0 49 Gordon Highlander accelerates up the 1 in 58 gradients with a Glasgow University Railway Society special working for Oban on Saturday, 14 May 1960. The train consists of two Caledonian coaches and a Pullman Observation Car (used on the Oban line during the summer months) bringing up the rear. Perhaps of note is that the driver and fireman on this day were Eastfield based Father & Son, Donald and David Croal. Note the newly electrified line to Helensburgh Central station in the distance, it continued west on the level behind the impressive signal box. (WS4379)
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Bob Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson TheAvery, Steam Railway Western Scotland
Ex Caley 2P 55238 is acting as Oban Station Pilot on Saturday, 14 May 1960 making up stock in Platform 1, note the Blue Spot fish van next to the locomotive. When the Ballachulish branch closed in 1966 the signalling at Oban was rationalised and Platform 1 became a siding leaving only three operational platform faces (2,3 & 4). The rounding loop on the right was lifted and slewed over to the right to create a short siding known as ‘The Crown’, so named after the hotel and pub over the wall on the right just off camera. Further rationalisation following the closure of Oban signal box and demolition of the Caledonian station has meant that only Platforms 3 and 4 survive today. (WS4388)
Leading on from previous photograph (WS4379) we now see GNS no 49 returning to Glasgow from Oban climbing through Glen Lochy between Dalmally and Tyndrum Lower with its lightweight train. A further two miles and the 840ft summit a mile west of Tyndrum Lower station would be reached and the fireman would be able to put the shovel down for a spell. This area is almost unrecognisable today as large swathes of forestry plantations have taken over the open ground on the left-hand side of the train. The A85 main road to Oban is on the right. (WS4404)
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Above: A busy scene is observed at Glasgow St Enoch on Saturday, 4 June 1960. Ardrossan’s 2P 4-4-0 40669 departs from platform 3 with the 11.30am service to Ayr. 40669 is not carrying the route indicator normally associated with the former LMS lines from/to Glasgow Central, St Enoch and Edinburgh Princes Street. Over on platform 1, Hurlford’s 2P 40645 is displaying the route indicator for the GSW route via Barrhead to Kilmarnock and south to Carlisle. As another locomotive can be seen behind on platform 1, it looks like 40645 will be tied on to assist the 12pm to Carlisle over the former Caledonian / Glasgow & South Western Joint line via Barrhead. The gradients were somewhat steep over the Joint line, especially from Nitshill up through Barrhead and over the top at Shilford. From Kilmarnock the 12pm train engine was on its own through to Carlisle. With a 2.45pm arrival at Carlisle, passengers from Kilmarnock & Dumfries had a twenty minute wait for the ‘Mid-Day Scot’, 1.30pm Glasgow Central – London Euston which departed Carlisle at 3.17pm, arriving in London at 9.00pm. 40669 was withdrawn from Ardrossan shed on 30 September 1961 and disposed of at Connels scrapyard in Coatbridge by the end of September 1963. 40645 lasted in traffic for another month before being withdrawn from Hurlford shed on 31 October 1961, meeting its demise at Inverurie Works during April 1962. (WS4472) Opposite Top: Parkhead’s ‘V1’ 2-6-2T 67648 with a city-bound train at Anniesland on Monday, 6 June 1960. This is taken just four months before the advent of a full electrified service in November, which would put an end to passengers having to endure the smoky subterranean catacombs of cross-Glasgow train services - though that proved to be somewhat premature, as recorded elsewhere in this volume! In the background the line diverging to the right at Knightswood South Junction is the curve through Kelvindale to Maryhill, which closed in 1980, but reopened in 2005, with the introduction of a half hourly service to Glasgow Queen Street High Level, though there was no physical connection with other lines – trains terminating in a single platform behind the rear of the train in this view. Not, that is, until 2016, when a connection was provided to facilitate diversions in connection with the remodelling of Queen Street High Level. (WS4489) Opposite Bottom: K4 2-6-0 61995 Cameron of Locheil working the Stephenson Locomotive Society ‘White Cockade’ Rail Tour from Glasgow Queen Street on Saturday, 18 June 1960 calling at the remote Gorton passing place between Bridge of Orchy and Rannoch. This tour went as far as Fort William then returned south via Crianlarich and Callander to Glasgow Buchanan Street where, after what seemed to be an interesting journey, arrival was recorded as being 69 minutes late. The trials and tribulations of trying to keep to schedule whilst battling locomotive defects and the resultant loss of booked paths on the single line contributed to the large deficit. The biggest delay appears to have been at Crianlarich East & West Junctions where the special was further delayed by 30 minutes to allow the 5.15pm Oban to Buchanan Street to overtake. A great day out for the excursionists who, despite the delays, would surely have appreciated travelling over such interesting and varied routes. (WS4689)
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Opposite Top: Another view of 61995 sitting in the down loop at Gorton passing place (see WS4689) whilst working the ‘White Cockade’ SLS Rail Tour. Gorton was one of three signal box/house locations on the West Highland (the other two being Glen Douglas and Corrour) created to break the long often remote sections of the line and normally manned by a husband and wife team. In the case of Gorton, it was husband and step-daughter with the wife looking after the domestic side of the operation. A reliable source has it that whenever the step-daughter was on duty, the father would appear to keep a close eye on the situation as the young firemen of Eastfield and Fort William were undoubtedly full of hormones at that age! Gorton also had an old coach body converted to a school on the short island platform between the loops (it can just be seen in WS4689). The railway children who stayed in the lineside cottages across Rannoch Moor converged here daily for their schooling with the teacher travelling up from Bridge of Orchy – what an almost unique way and location to get your education! With the advent of Tokenless Block in August 1967 and the resultant ability to switch Gorton out of circuit during quieter times and at weekends, it was no longer the place to earn better financial remuneration so the Gorton family departed for more hospitable climes. It became impossible to attract anyone to stay and work the signal box, so it remained switched out with the signals cleared for both directions. The Rannoch signalman was given 4 hours overtime a week to travel to Gorton and fill the signal lamps – note the standard West Highland corrugated iron paraffin shed to the left of the engine. This semi-comfortable arrangement (and ultimately nearly 200 hours of overtime) lasted for almost a year before management bit the bullet and switched the loop out permanently. The loop, worked by ground frames, was reinstated with the advent of Radio Electronic Token Block in 1988 but can only be used for engineering trains and road-rail vehicles. (WS4690) Opposite Bottom: BR Standard 5 73104 working the Up ‘Queen of Scots’ Pullman service on Saturday, 16 July 1960 gets into its stride passing Eastfield loco shed on the left, no doubt scaring the resident avian population as it blasts under the former Caledonian line between Maryhill Central and Balornock Junction, which crossed over the east end of the Eastfield shed complex. This train would have been banked up the fearsome 1 in 41 incline from Queen Street to Cowlairs by one of the resident N15 tank locos fitted with the special slip coupling. Approaching the platform at Cowlairs the banker would have slipped the coupling and eased back ready to either drop back down the hill to assist another service or possibly shunt across to the Carriage Sidings to collect a set of empty coaches for Queen Street. The Queen of Scots was a 1st and 2nd Class Pullman train which departed Glasgow Queen Street at 11am and arrived into London Kings Cross at 8.20pm. There was plenty of time to enjoy the Pullman ambience as the service ran via Edinburgh Waverley, the ECML to Northallerton then across the former Leeds Northern via Ripon to reach Harrogate. From there it ran into Leeds Central and finally forward to London Kings Cross. 73104 was built in Doncaster Works and was allocated to Corkerhill from 27 September 1955. After working from there for all its working life of ten years and twenty-five days, it was withdrawn in October 1965. Later that year, and in company with a number of its contemporaries, it made its last journey across the south side of the city to the Arnott Young scrapyard at Carmyle where it met its demise sometime in February 1966. (WS4798) Below: One of the ubiquitous North British class C (LNER J36) 0-6-0s, 65211, recently transferred from Bathgate to Parkhead, leaves Cadder Yard for Sighthill with a trip freight on Wednesday, 27 July 1960. Cadder is on the main former North British Glasgow Queen Street-Edinburgh line. It’s never actually disappeared though for many years it was used only for occasional stabling of engineers’ trains. However, in recent months it has regained much former importance as the location for a purpose-built depot for Scotrail’s new (well, second hand) fleet of HSTs, which operate under the ‘Inter7City’ brand name. The legacy of the J36 lives on in the shape of NBR 673 Maude (BR 65243), named after a WW1 General, and operated many railtours in Scotland in the 1970s and 80s. It now resides in the Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo’ness. (WS4831)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: ‘Britannia’ pacific 70047 climbs the famous Beattock bank near Greskine with the 10am Euston-Glasgow on Saturday, 30 July 1960. 70047 was the only ‘Brit’ not to bear a name, and is taking assistance at the rear from what looks like a BR standard class 4 2-6-4T to surmount the climb, which has gradients varying between 1 in 74 and 1 in 88. The 13-coach load is a mixture of ex-LMS Stanier 57’ coaches and new BR mark 1s. The location is still photographable though vegetation growth is making it more difficult. Other prominent yet-to-be-built features include the A74 trunk road (now reduced to a single carriageway B7078), the M74 motorway (behind the railway) and a plethora of wind turbines (on the hills in the background). 70047 was just over six years old when this was taken, and was allocated to Crewe North shed. (WS4846) Opposite Bottom: 45099, one of Motherwell’s Black Fives, leaving Beattock with an unidentified northbound relief on Saturday, 30 July 1960. It’s probable that the train has stopped here to attach a banking engine for the fearsome gradient ahead. However, the fireman clearly has things in hand, as the engine is blowing off nicely. Beattock, as well as being the base for banking operations, was also the junction for the short branch to Moffat. Beattock shed provided locomotives for both activities, though passenger services to Moffat ceased as long ago as 1954, complete closure coming ten years later. The shed closed in 1967, as most diesels could handle the gradient without assistance, and today’s Pendolinos don’t even notice it. There is talk, but so far little else, of re-opening Beattock station, along with others between Carstairs and Carlisle. (WS4838) Below: Carstairs-allocated ‘Black Five’ 44700 is tender first crossing the Clyde near Sandilands, west of Lanark, with the 12.30pm Douglas West-Lanark on Saturday, 1 October 1960. This former Caledonian line, which formed an end-on junction with the Glasgow & South Western at Muirkirk, allowed trains to travel between the Edinburgh area and the Ayrshire Coast avoiding Glasgow. It was never heavily used, and this journey, which covers the few miles only between Douglas and Lanarkshire’s County town, can hardly have encouraged custom! The scene is largely unchanged today, except for the bridge of course, though the piers remain. (WS5064)
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Above: This lightweight coal train from Douglas Colliery on the Lanark-Muirkirk line, near the hamlet of Ponfeigh, is somewhat overpowered by War Department ‘Austerity’ 2-10-0 90768, heading east on Saturday, 1 October 1960. This line had a sparse service at the best of times, though there is no doubt that coal was the prime reason for its construction, to allow outlets for the produce of several collieries en route to both east and west coasts, the latter via the end-on connection with the Glasgow and South Western at Muirkirk. The resurgence of Scottish opencast coal as a favoured fuel for English power stations in the 1990s (due to its low sulphur content) led to speculation that parts of it might be re-opened, and the thought of modern coal trains in some of the line’s scenic locations was photographically mouth-watering. But needless to say, it never really came close to happening, the need to cross the M74 motorway at Happendon being just one of several stumbling blocks. The WD 2-10-0s numbered 25 in total (compared with the 700+ 2-8-0 examples) and were all Scottish based. 90768 called Carstairs shed home. (WS5066) Opposite Top: Corkerhill’s Standard 5 73121 and Carlisle Kingmoor’s Black 5 44673 join forces, hauling a train of electric motor coaches from the then new ‘Blue Train’ (class AM3) electric multiple units on Thursday, 16 February 1961. The AM3s (later class 303) had entered service in the Glasgow area in 1960, but serious problems with the motor coaches (see WS5331 on page 74 for details) meant around a year’s postponement. As this picture is dated just a couple of months after the first problems and the train is composed entirely of motor coaches, it seems likely that this was a transfer of these vehicles either before or after modification. Two locomotives would have been needed for braking purposes, as the EMU cars braking systems were incompatible with the majority of steam locomotives. (WS5158) Opposite Bottom: Polmadie’s rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ 46107 Argyll and Sutherland Highlander appears to be struggling with a very unusual load – a lengthy up train of empty unfitted mineral wagons, passing Dalmarnock Junction, Rutherglen on the West Coast Main Line on Saturday, 11 March 1961. Photographs of express passenger engines working loose-coupled freights are rare, to say the least! It would be interesting to know the origin and destination of this working, as most coal trains passing here in the up direction would be loaded, heading from the Clydeside docks or Ayrshire collieries to any one of a number of possible destinations serving the Lanarkshire steel industry. 46107 emerged from its birthplace at North British, just a few miles away, in 1937, and was rebuilt in 1950 into the familiar Stanier outline. It survived another 21 months until December 1962. The junction survives, and is now known as Rutherglen Central Junction, and the lines curving away to the right serve the current Rutherglen station, before heading across the Clyde, through Dalmarnock and forming the largely subterranean Argyle line through the centre of Glasgow. (WS5187)
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Polmadie’s ‘Black Five’ 45459 calls at Cleghorn with the 12.48pm Lanark to Glasgow Central on Saturday, 15 April 1961. The train has just joined the West Coast Main Line at Lanark Junction and the level crossing over the A706 Lanark to Falkirk Road is hidden behind the rear of the train. There’s no trace of the station today, though the line is busy with Pendolinos, Voyagers and long-distance freights making their way on journeys over the main line, while frequent EMUs to Lanark slow to take the sharply curved connection onto the branch, the then junction signal for which can be seen in the background. (WS5254) Another shot on Saturday, 15 April 1961. Carstairs-based ‘Black Five’ 45175 makes a tender first departure from Lanark with the 1.16pm Saturdays Only train to Ponfeigh, a tiny hamlet on the line to Muirkirk – a journey time of just 9 minutes. The public timetable shows a lightning run round at Ponfeigh, returning from there at 1.31pm. This service was probably provided to enable people to get to and from Lanark Market, though with other trains on the Muirkirk line being conspicuous by their infrequency, its use must have been marginal at best. Nevertheless, it boasted corridor stock – perhaps marketgoers having visited Lanark’s numerous hostelries, required such provision! The location is instantly recognisable today, despite 25kv electrification, line singling and the loss of the Muirkirk line passenger service – if it could be called that – in 1964. (WS5255)
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If the trains are running to time on Saturday, 15 April 1961, then it’s 2.8pm as the 1.20pm Edinburgh Princes Street – Lanark makes its booked station call at Carnwath just east of Carstairs. Dalry Road shed’s Black 5 45030 will have made an easy job of the four-coach train even with the steep climb from Slateford up to the summit at Cobbinshaw. Carnwath station is neat and tidy as befits a wayside Scottish country station in the early 60s, no doubt well looked after by the resident staff and stationmaster. The small goods yard has some coal wagons on hand with one already unloaded as seen by the dropped door. An ex LNER 12 ton box van stands at the small loading bank which also had facilities for dealing with cattle traffic; this along with the Goods shed and 1 ton 10 cwt crane meant Carnwath offered a number of goods traffic options for local traders. Carnwath signal box closed in 1965 with the station closure following in 1966. 45030 was withdrawn from Dalry Road in December 1962 and was scrapped during August 1963. (WS5256)
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Fairburn 2-6-4T 42272, based at Edinburgh’s Dalry Road shed, runs into Auchengray, on the former Caledonian Railway Midcalder Junction-Carstairs line, with the 5.42pm Edinburgh Princes Street to Lanark stopping train on Saturday 15 April 1961. Auchengray was, and still is, a tiny village, and receipts must have been pitifully small here. The station closed outright on 18 April 1966 almost exactly five years after this photo was taken. There is evidence of goods facilities of sorts in this photo, and a branch to nearby Wilsontown Ironworks branched off to the left a little north of here. There’s a level crossing immediately behind the photographer (now automatic half-barriers). There’s no trace of the station today on this now electrified link from Edinburgh to the WCML at Carstairs. (WS5260)
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Above: Carstairs’s ‘Black Five’ 45161 heads through Cumbernauld Glen with the up Aberdeen Portion of the ‘West Coast Postal’ on Saturday, 29 April 1961. It would join up with the portion from Glasgow and continue south to Euston. Normally an engine from Aberdeen’s Ferryhill shed – often an LNER Pacific, would work to Carstairs and return on the corresponding northbound train which left Carstairs in the wee small hours. The fact that this is a Carstairs engine heading for home suggests a problem with the Aberdeen loco at Carstairs the previous night. Below the main line there’s an intriguing glimpse of what appears to be a contractor’s narrow-gauge railway, the purpose of which is unknown. (WS5289) Opposite Top: A fascinating glimpse of the Branch Line Society’s ‘Bathgate & District’ special, behind North British ‘N15’ 0-6-2T 69163 (shedded at Eastfield and normally used on Cowlairs incline banking duties) pausing at the closed Glasgow Green station on a wet Saturday, 6 May 1961. Passengers on today’s Argyle Line EMUs will be aware as they pass this spot, as trains emerge from their dark, subterranean journeys very briefly between Bridgeton and Argyle Street. Similarly, those frequenting the ‘West’ restaurant/brewpub (in the building visible, part of the Templetons Carpet Factory complex) will be aware of rumblings from below every few minutes as another train passes. (WS5300) Opposite Bottom: Another view of Craigendoran station (see also WS4043), as one of Parkhead’s V1 2-6-2Ts leaves with the 5.41pm Helensburgh Central to Bridgeton Central on Saturday, 13 May 1961. Clearly visible are the West Highland line platforms on the right behind the engine, and the curved lines to the nominally separate Craigendoran Pier station on the left. The polished appearance of the stock parked in the extreme left-hand road suggests preserved coaches used on railtours in Scotland during the 1960s, while the adjacent DMU is probably one of the local trains to Arrochar, as the DMU would be ideal for the necessary reversal at Craigendoran Junction. Electric services had been introduced the previous year but had to be withdrawn following a series of motor coach transformer explosions, leading to a withdrawal of the whole fleet of the new trains for modifications. This necessitated a return to steam which lasted in excess of twelve months – to the delight of photographers but certainly not for the passengers. (WS5331)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Below: Not surprisingly, Ibrox station was a busy place when Rangers were at home in their nearby Ibrox stadium. Such was the case on Wednesday, 17 May 1961, when arriving fans on numerous steam hauled trains were to see their team lose 2-0 to the Italian based Fiorentina in the first leg of a European Cup Winners Cup fixture. A capacity crowd watched the game in those pre-television days! (The Italians won 4-1 on aggregate). Polmadie-based Fairburn 2-6-4T 42276 is taking the Govan branch with a train from Glasgow while trains from Gourock and Motherwell occupy the through platforms. It must have been a well planned and delivered operation for a weekday game with a 7.30pm evening kick-off, not long after the rush hour. (WS5336) Opposite Top: An undated photograph of two unsung heroes in the shape of former Caledonian Railway ‘Standard Goods’ 57291, in company with a sister, at Morningside, Lanarkshire. 57291 is a Motherwell engine and her unidentified partner almost certainly is as well. This area had numerous collieries and branches to serve them, the output going to fuel the insatiable appetite of Lanarkshire’s once buoyant steel industry. Very little evidence remains of Morningside and its railways today. (WS5380) Opposite Bottom: This shows 44719, shedded at Inverness in 1961, being apparently ‘borrowed’ for a football special from Glasgow Central, seen here at Mount Florida, a short walk from Hampden Park and the venue for most Scottish international matches. We don’t have a definite date, but a fair bet would be Wednesday, 3 May 1961, when Scotland beat the Republic of Ireland 4-1. There is evidence of forthcoming electrification in the shape of a mast at the end of the platform. This location still provides a good view of trains on the Cathcart circle. (WS5383)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: On Saturday, 17 June 1961 Eastfield allocated K2 61764 Loch Arkaig is working the Saturdays Only 2.50 pm Glasgow Queen Street - Crianlarich Upper which called at Dumbarton Central & Craigendoran (High Level platforms) to pick up only, then Helensburgh Upper and all stations, except Rhu and Glen Douglas. This service was ideal for a combined train / steamer trip via Ardlui as the pier was a literal stone’s throw from the station. This gave the opportunity for passengers to enjoy a steam trip north and a return on the Maid of the Loch to Balloch Pier, courtesy of the Caledonian Steam Packet company changing there for a train back to Glasgow. Passengers who did the trip in the opposite direction had a leisurely sojourn at Ardlui awaiting the return train service back to Glasgow Queen Street. This was to be the final season for 61764 as it was withdrawn on 7 September 1961 after the summer service finished. The locomotive had been built for the Great Northern Railway as a Class H3 and was originally allocated to Kings Cross Top Shed. After its initial 6 years at Kings Cross the locomotive was transferred across to the GE Section working from Stratford, Cambridge and Southend Victoria sheds, emigrating to Eastfield in December 1931. The loco was named in March 1933 and apart from four years at St Margarets shed in Edinburgh, 61764 spent the rest of its working life at Eastfield. It was disposed of at Cowlairs Works at the end of 1961 after 43 years sterling service and not that far from its birthplace at the NBL Locomotive works. In between withdrawal and disposal, it was reported that 61764 had spent some time at Peterborough’s New England shed as a stationary boiler before making the long trek back north to meet its demise. At some point in its LNER career it was one of the locomotives converted to oil firing. (WS5512) Opposite Bottom: 61764 is seen again, blowing off steam in the down loop at Ardlui gathering strength in preparation for the long climb up through Glen Falloch to its final destination of Crianlarich Upper where the engine will be turned ready for the return trip to Glasgow Queen Street. Passengers who detrained at Ardlui could avail themselves of a steamer trip back down Loch Lomond to Balloch Pier from where a further train journey would get them back into Glasgow at 8.15pm. Just visible in the small goods yard on the left hand edge of the photo are the successors to the wooden bulk alumina wagon seen in the turntable siding at Garelochhead. These were built of steel and remained in traffic until superseded by the BR built Covhops and former Bulk Grain wagons. (WS5514) Below: A rare picture indeed featuring a very different view of the turntable at Crianlarich Upper. 61764 is being turned after arriving with the 2.50pm service from Glasgow Queen Street on Saturday, 17 June 1961.The facilities at the shed did not include coaling so arriving locomotives could only be turned and watered. 61764 would have then worked back to Glasgow Queen Street on the 8.10pm departure, arriving back at 10.18pm. The main user of the shed was the local PW Engineering department but in the early 1960s some locomotives were stored in the shed including a D11/2 4-4-0. If a circular tour was your preference, then a gentle stroll down the hill to Crianlarich Lower on the Callander & Oban Railway would have allowed you to catch the 7.07pm service back to Glasgow / Edinburgh via Callander. A high tea in the Crianlarich Hotel was no doubt warranted to while away the two hour sojourn in the western end of Perthshire. (WS5516)
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Above: A fascinating and rarely seen view of an Andrew Barclay built crane tank (which the photographer lists as works number 838 of 1899, rebuilt) working at Dalzell (pronounced Dee-Ell) steel works in Motherwell on Wednesday, 28 June 1961. Crane tanks could perform wagon shunting as well as lifting and moving heavy items around the works. A similar engine, number 6, is on display at the museum of Scottish Railways at Bo’ness. Colvilles owned a number of steel industry plants in Lanarkshire and South Glasgow. The Dalzell works, which includes the large building seen in the background here, is still operating, now owned by Tata Steel and at the time of writing receives a couple of trainloads of steel slabs per week from Scunthorpe. (WS5540) Opposite Top: Unrebuilt and un-named ‘Patriot’ 45517 storms up the famed Beattock incline with an unknown working on Saturday 29 July 1961. 45517 was based at Liverpool’s Bank Hall shed in 1961 so perhaps the train is a through working from Merseyside. There is evidence of exhaust from an assisting locomotive, just out of sight at the rear. The M74 motorway had not even been dreamed of, and neither had WCML electrification which would, in effect, virtually flatten the gradient. (WS5589) Opposite Bottom: St Rollox’s BR Standard Class 5 73147 works a northbound C&O (Callander & Oban) goods passing the lineside dwellings, known locally as Rock Cottages, at Craig-na-Cailleach between Callander and Strathyre on Monday, 12 August 1961. One cottage was occupied by Forestry Commission staff, while the other was occupied by the local PW ganger, responsible for the maintenance of the line alongside Loch Lubnaig. There was bell and telephone communication provided between Rock Cottage and the stationmaster’s house at Strathyre in order to advise of any reported rockfalls on the line. This was in addition to a set of nearby ‘stone signals’ – a system of semaphore signals activated to danger by rock or boulder falls. Similar signals survive today in the Pass of Brander, west of Crianlarich between Loch Awe and Taynuilt. This caption writer’s grandfather was the local ganger in the 1930s, and his father spent his formative years living in Rock Cottage. His elder siblings travelled by train to school in Callander, involving in one direction travelling on the 6.5am from Oban, returning on the 4.15pm ‘School Train’ from Callander to Luib. The trains were shown in the Working Timetable to stop for schoolchildren. The weekly Saturday shopping trip – also by train - gave the family a few hours respite from living in the shadow of Ben Ledi. Outward was on the 12.5pm from Oban and returning on the 5.15pm from Buchanan Street. The cottages survive today – now a single dwelling accessed by using part of the C&O trackbed, other parts of which remain as access tracks to the extensive forestry operations in the area. (WS5613)
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Above: Looking from the Maudslie Road overbridge north of Carluke, Carlisle Kingmoor’s not very clean BR standard small Pacific 72008 Clan Macleod is working hard, and has just passed the signal box at Castlehill, between Carluke and Law Junction, with the 4.30pm express from Glasgow Central to Liverpool and Manchester on Saturday, 23 September 1961. Its next stop will be Carstairs where a through portion from Edinburgh Princes Street to Liverpool Exchange will be attached, and on arrival at Preston the train will be split for its respective destinations. The siding on the left served both Whiteshaw foundry and a sawmill. A one-time branch from here ran in a north-easterly direction to serve Castlehill No. 6 colliery. The signals are ‘pegged’ for both lines but the distant signal for Hallcraig is ‘on’ – so it’s possible the signal box was switched out, as this was a Saturday afternoon. 72008 was withdrawn from Kingmoor during April 1966, meeting its end at the Shettleston scrapyard of J. McWilliam on 23 June 1966. The loco also appears in picture WS8035 on page 112). Opposite Top: Biggar station, Lanarkshire, looking in remarkably good shape considering it closed in 1950, just over 11 years before this shot was taken. There is evidence of freight activity surviving in the background in the shape of some older-style container wagons, long before the current ISO containers we are now used to. It’s understood that meat products were shipped from here by rail. The loco is Caledonian Railway McIntosh ’19 class’ 0-4-4T 55124, introduced in 1895. It calls Dumfries shed home. It’s working the Branch Line Society’s ‘Pentland & Tinto Express’ on Saturday, 30 September 1961, which started from Leith and covered several branch lines in the Lanarkshire and borders area. The term ‘Express’ for an 1895-built loco and 3 non-corridor coaches was optimistic at best, but allowable in a railtour context! Photos of trains on this network of lines from Symington, and Biggar to Broughton and to Peebles are rare, so we’re grateful to both the photographer and the Branch Line Society for making travel over the lines, and views like this, possible. The line closed completely in 1964. (WS5734) Opposite Bottom: Polmadie had fifteen of the handsome BR Standard class 5 4-6-0s, many of which found work on the former Caledonian Railway route via Shotts to Edinburgh Princes Street. 73055 is seen on such a working, the 12.30pm from Glasgow Central, formed of five of Sir William Stanier’s distinctive coaches, passing Cleland Junction on Saturday, 17 March 1962. Cleland is a Lanarkshire community near Motherwell, and its junction connected with a branch which served local collieries and iron works. It closed in the late 1950s, and the trackbed is visible diverging to the left. Even with today’s EMUs, journey times between Scotland’s principal cities via Shotts are pedestrian when compared with those from Queen Street to Waverley on the North British route via Falkirk. (73055 can also be seen in picture WS2995 on page 40) (WS5853)
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Above: Another shot of a dining car special on the Shotts Road, again destined for a rugby international at Murrayfield (see also WS2995). These trains usually featured pairs of Polmadie’s Standard class 5s. On Saturday, 17 March 1962 73060 and 73099 are climbing hard through Hartwood towards the Shotts line’s summit at Benhar. The gradient is stiffening from 1 in 137 to 1 in 100 at this point. The Shotts line’s slower speeds gave time for a dining car lunch prior to the afternoon’s rugby; in this case a Scotland v England Calcutta Cup match which was drawn 3-3. (WS5857) Opposite Top: Motherwell’s Fairburn 2-6-4T 42125 approaches the Lanarkshire town Strathaven (pronounced Strayven) with the 10.50am from Maryhill on Saturday, 14 April 1962. What a superb location, with two matching viaducts of Caledonian Railway origin. The train is on the line from Hamilton via Larkhall and Stonehouse, and the line on the left goes to High Blantyre. It’s surprising this location hasn’t been photographed more often, probably accounted for by infrequent trains. The line from Hamilton was reopened in 2005 as far as Larkhall, and extension onwards to Strathaven is talked about. A structure here could therefore be a possibility in the future. (WS5876) Opposite Bottom: The not-very-common sight of ex LMS and ex LNER locomotives double-heading: Kingmoor’s ‘Jubilee’ 45727 Inflexible is assisting Leeds Neville Hill’s A3 Pacific 60086 Gainsborough on the 6.38pm St Enoch-Marylebone car sleeper on Monday, 23 July 1962. The duo is climbing hard near Uplawmoor heading for the G&SW route south. BR introduced ‘Car Sleepers’ in 1955 with a Perth to London service. It’s difficult to pick out detail in this shot but the rear 5 or so vehicles seem to be the sleeping cars, and no refreshment vehicle is apparent, so it must have been a tedious journey with a start time as early as 6.38pm. But at least some of the passengers could probably allow themselves to be lulled to sleep by the sound of the twin 3-cylinder exhausts from the front end. It’s always surprised this caption writer that these trains, which were later rebranded as ‘Motorail’ services, haven’t survived into the modern age, with consciousness about carbon footprints and increasingly congested motorways. Perhaps their time is yet to come. (WS6249)
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Above: A number of staff only train services on the railway network received unofficial titles over the years. Here we see one of those titled trains which never appeared in any timetable. The “Siege”, as it was known all over the former Caledonian main line, ran on a Saturday for the benefit of railway staff’s families living in the lineside cottages between Beattock and Summit. This enabled the families to carry out the weekly shopping in Moffat and to enjoy a brief respite from their somewhat lonely existence. The title of “The Siege” may be related to the service starting to run during the siege of Mafeking. A single coach would be dropped off by a northbound pick-up goods at Summit early on the Saturday morning. The loco for the Siege was one of Beattock’s stud of bank engines which, after assisting a service up to Summit, attached to the coach and made its way back down the bank picking up at all the lineside cottages en-route. The Siege is seen on Saturday, 4 August 1962 with Polmadie’s Fairburn 4P tank 42239 standing in the Down Loop opposite Beattock Summit signal box, having arrived from Beattock. After running round using the siding to the right of the train, the loco will take the coach back down to Beattock and stable it for the following Saturday. However, in order to reduce line occupation there were times when the coach could be worked back with two or sometimes three bank locos. 42239 was built by the LMS at Derby Works on 20 September 1946 and was withdrawn from St Margarets shed at the end of June 1964, being disposed a couple of months later at Motherwell Machinery & Scrap at Inslow Works in Wishaw. (WS6254) Opposite Top: Carnforth shed’s Stanier Jubilee 45633 Aden working 1S44 the 8.50am Blackpool Central to Glasgow Central on Saturday, 4 August 1962 is seen storming past the railway cottages at Harthope. One of Beattock’s banking locos is assisting, as evidenced by the plume of smoke in the rear, and above the roofs of the railway cottages can be seen the viaduct which took the railway across the A74. The train is passing the site of the fatal train accident which occurred on Thursday 8 June 1950. A fire broke out in one of the coaches of the 11am Birmingham New Street – Glasgow Central with the resulting conflagration unfortunately leading to the deaths of five passengers. Railway staff who resided in the railway cottages valiantly assisted with efforts to try and rescue the passengers but to no avail. The local PW ganger, Adam Moffat, received the British Empire Medal for his actions on that day. 45633 was withdrawn from Warrington Dallam in October 1965 and was disposed of at T.W. Ward’s scrapyard at Killamarsh at the end of March 1966. (WS6256) Opposite Bottom: A pair of Black Fives trundle south through Beattock station with tank wagons on Saturday, 4 August 1962. 45008 is a Motherwell engine; it’s odds-on that the second, unidentified engine, is the same. The connection for the branch to Moffatt, diverging to the right, can just be discerned behind the rear of the train. It fell victim to the Beeching cuts in 1964, though passenger services had ceased ten years earlier. The footbridge half-visible on the left crossed the Down Goods loop which passed around the back of the platform. The station features in John Buchan’s novel ‘The Thirty Nine Steps’ in which the leading character catches an overnight express to London from here. It’s possible some poetic licence may have been used with relation to the timetable. The station closed in 1972 when the line was electrified. There is a local movement to reopen several Scottish West Coast Main Line stations, including Beattock. (WS6263)
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Above: Ballochmyle Viaduct on the G&SWR main line between Mauchline and Cumnock, which carries the line 169 feet above the River Ayr. The structure claims to be the highest railway viaduct in Britain. A southbound Black 5 hauled goods is crossing on Saturday, 15 September 1962. The viaduct became a Category A listed structure in 1989, and it was designated a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the Institute of Civil Engineers in 2014. It has recently had strengthening work carried out, and continues to carry main line traffic. (WS6355) Opposite Top: BR Standard Class 5 73124 works a returning football special from Abbeyhill to St Enoch past Polkemmet Junction, which was the divergence of the Fauldhouse and Crofthead freight lines. On Saturday, 22 September 1962, Rangers were playing Hibernian and a large number of supporters took advantage of the proximity of Abbeyhill station to Hibernian’s ground at Easter Road. No doubt it’s a trainload of happy supporters as Rangers won the game 5-1. The train was routed via the former North British route through Bathgate as this allowed easy access to St Enoch via High Street, the City Union and the North curve from Saltmarket Junction. 73124 was completed at Doncaster Works in February 1956 and initially allocated to Corkerhill. The loco was withdrawn from there at the end of 1965 and met its demise at J McWilliam’s scrapyard at Shettleston by the end of March 1966, after a short working life of just 10 years. (WS6364) Opposite Bottom: The SLS ‘Covenanter’ railtour ran on Saturday, 20 October 1962, and the engine was Caledonian 0-6-0 57581 throughout. The tour comprised five coaches, originated at Glasgow St Enoch and took in a number of unusual and lightly used lines. This shot shows the tour heading along the goods branch to what was the original station in Ayr, known as Ayr 1st terminus, which closed to passengers as long ago as 1857. As can be seen, the branch crossed the connection from the current main line to Ayr Harbour on the level – one of very few places in the UK to adopt this layout feature. Bill lists this railtour as a Stephenson Locomotive Society special, but the website ‘Six Bells Junction’ credits its organisation to the Scottish Locomotive Preservation Fund. (WS6397)
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Opposite Top: This impressive three-way junction is the location for Polmadie’s 73063 heading west with the 1.23pm Glasgow Central to Edinburgh Princes Street on Saturday, 3 November 1962. The train has come from Glasgow via Newton, Uddingston and Bellshill. The lines disappearing behind the engine to the right curve round to join the Motherwell - Perth line just south of Mossend Yard, and the lines on the left give access to the same line, but facing towards Motherwell. The notable assortment of semaphore signals were controlled from the impressive Fullwood Junction signal box, a tall structure which closed with the commissioning of Motherwell Signalling Centre in the early 1970s. All three are still in use and electrified, and the location is now known as Mossend East Jn. (WS6437) Opposite Bottom: An undated photograph of ex-LMS Black 5 45421 passing Stranraer Harbour Junction signal box with what looks very likely to be the stock for the 3.50pm passenger/parcels train from Stranraer Town to Carlisle, via the ‘Port Road’ to Dumfries. This will have been taken sometime between 1962 and 1964 when the engine was allocated to Carlisle Kingmoor. The Junction signal box was where the lines from the Town station (and at one time Portpatrick) came in from the left, joining the Harbour line the train is actually on, climbing on a ruling gradient of 1 in 86. This signal box also controlled the connections to the extensive goods yard, engine shed and workshops sidings – note the sheds visible in the distance. Following complete closure of the Port Road to Dumfries in June 1965, Stranraer Town and Junction signal boxes initially survived but were subsequently closed on 9 November 1969 and 11 March 1972 respectively. The 36 lever Junction signal box was replaced by a ground frame (and intermediate token instrument) to allow continued access to the goods yard which is still there today, although sadly freight traffic has now ceased. Post June 1965 passenger traffic was transferred in its entirety to the Harbour station but even that has since fallen away quite dramatically with the sailings to Larne starting from the ironically now non-railway connected old wartime Military Port No 1 at Cairnryan, where the surplus gas shells mentioned in WS7610 were loaded onto old merchant ships and unceremoniously dumped in the Irish Sea. Following transfer from Kingmoor to Fleetwood in August 1964, 45421 was ultimately withdrawn from Lostock Hall, Preston in February 1968 and cut up at Ward’s of Sheffield in the June of that year. (WS6465) Above: BR Standard class 2 2-6-0s 78050 and 78051, both based at Motherwell, lift a loaded, loose coupled coal train from Kingshill Colliery, near Allanton in North Lanarkshire in wintry conditions on Tuesday, 22 January 1963. Bill speculates, probably correctly, that the train is destined for Clyde Ironworks near Carmyle to the south west of Glasgow. This train typifies so many of the unseen, unglamorous and rarely photographed freight workings that served to keep the wheels of industry turning. It’s pleasing to see a regular job photographed, as so many of these somewhat obscure or out-of-the-way lines were only photographed if visited by a railtour, though we are indeed thankful for such shots today. (WS6508)
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Above: In the early sixties British Railways were rather adept at running brakevan tours on some of the more obscure freight only lines around the network. On Saturday 23 March 1963, the Branch Line Society ran a Glasgow Area tour which took in a number of branch lines around Renfrew and Paisley areas. This would certainly have been a somewhat less than smooth ride, given the state of the infrastructure the tour traversed and the rolling stock used for the hardy participants. Pickersgill 3F 57689 has arrived at Paisley Goods signal box from Paisley Abercorn after returning from Kings Inch on the former Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway. Paisley Goods signal box-controlled access to Greenlaw Goods Yard and had some rather ornate ironwork along the ridge of its roof. Unfortunately, this can’t be seen in the photograph. The tour ran round here before propelling out onto the Slow lines and heading west to Paisley St James, from where it ran to Chain Road Goods on the former Caledonian Railway’s Paisley & Barrhead District Railway. 57689 was withdrawn from Motherwell at the end of August 1963 and had been disposed of at Cowlairs Works by the end of November. (WS6588) Opposite Top: An unidentified Fairburn tank passes Ibrox on a working from Weymss Bay or Gourock into Glasgow Central. The shot is not dated. Despite the station’s shared name with and proximity to Rangers FC’s stadium, it closed on 6 February 1967. It was named Bellahouston from 1843 until 1871.The locomotive could have come from Polmadie, Corkerhill, Ardrossan or Greenock Ladyburn sheds, depending on the date. The station was located roughly where junction 23 on the now adjacent M8 motorway now sits. The railway is still very busy, with frequent class 380 EMUs making their way to Ayr, Ardrossan, Largs, Gourock and Wemyss Bay over a triple-tracked, fully bi-directionally signalled modern section of railway. (WS6593) Opposite Bottom: It’s Easter Monday, 15 April, 1963, and Stanier magnificence is much in evidence in Southern Scotland. On the left, Leeds Holbeck based ‘Jubilee’ 4-6-0 45659 Drake heads south through Dumfries with the 8.30am Glasgow St Enoch to London St Pancras relief. On the right is Black Five 45373, then shown as allocated to Springs Branch (Wigan), apparently having a day out north of the border. In the background, all unidentified, are another Black Five, a BR standard class 4 4-6-0, and what looks like a former Caledonian Railway 812 class 0-6-0. The ‘Port Road’ from Dumfries to Stranraer was still open at that time, which would account for the preponderance of locos in steam on Dumfries shed. It continued to carry substantial traffic bound for Northern Ireland until its closure in 1965, with traffic then being forced to make a lengthy and circuitous diversion via Ayr. (WS6659)
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Bob Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson TheAvery, Steam Railway Western Scotland
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Opposite Top: Class 6P 4-6-0 45588 Kashmir hauling 5 Mark 1 coaches on the southern leg of Scottish Rambler No 2 railtour, en route between Carlisle and Stranraer. It has been captured just passing Gatehouse of Fleet Down Distant signal around 1.15pm on Easter Monday, 15 April 1963 and the driver already has the tablet hoop ready to exchange with the Gatehouse signalman. This was an extensive tour of Scottish lines using a large variety of motive power organised by the Stephenson Locomotive Society (Scottish area) and the Branch Line Society which started from Glasgow Central on the 12th of April and finished at Glasgow St Enoch in the late evening of the 15th. Bill no doubt had a part to play in its planning and organisation. Having left Carlisle at 9am, it had already visited Kirkcudbright and was now on its way to visit the Garlieston & Whithorn branches before carrying on to Stranraer Town station. Note the very distinctive granite cliffs of the Clints of Dromore in the background, beautifully lit by the afternoon sun and in the distance the impressive 20 arch Big Water of Fleet viaduct. Big Water of Fleet is still there and even though the railway has been gone these past 60 years the viaduct still dominates the landscape and a visit is highly recommended. Built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow 45588 entered traffic as 5588 under the LMS in 1934. Based at Blackpool Central it was also allocated to Carlisle Upperby and finally Carlisle Kingmoor during its 28-year working life. It was withdrawn from Kingmoor on 1 May 1965 and cut up at Motherwell Machine & Scrap, Inslow Works, Wishaw during August 1966. (WS6666) Opposite Bottom: Drummond Caley Jumbo 2F 0-6-0 57375 is captured at Millisle on the Newton Stewart to Whithorn branch, preparing to head down the short distance to the terminus at Garlieston with a rake of open wagons on Monday, 15 April 1963. The ‘cargo’ will be excursionists off the Scottish Rambler No 2-rail tour, the coaches of which are temporarily stabled out of sight on the left in Millisle station awaiting their return. Bogied vehicles were banned from the branch so the passengers climbed onto the eight wagons and were drawn down the branch to the terminus where, after a ten-minute layover, were then propelled back up to Millisle. Legendary rail photographer Ivo Peters recorded this in one of his cine films, and it looked like they came back up the short branch noticeably faster than the 15mph restriction in force. As can be seen, a brakevan was provided at both ends of the train as the rounding loop at Garlieston was too short hence the reason for propelling. The train was thankfully vacuum fitted but nevertheless smooth operation of the brake would have been necessary to avoid any damage to the fragile cargo. The 2F had taken over from 45588 Kashmir at Newton Stewart for the run to Whithorn and when it returned, Kashmir took over again for the leg to Stranraer. 57375 was built at St Rollox in Glasgow during 1894 as CR201, then numbered 15375 under the LMS before being given its BR number. It was withdrawn from Stranraer shed on 30 November 1963 after 69 years, 9 months and 29 days service, being cut up at Arnott Young in Troon during June 1964. (WS6671) Below: Pigeon traffic was handled throughout the UK and ranged from baskets of live birds in the brake vans of passenger trains, to actual special trains, normally where larger numbers of birds were involved. The stock was parcels-type vans but sometimes modified internally to enable baskets to be stacked, and equipped with gangways as sometimes a minder was need to travel with the train to ensure the birds’ welfare. This is Motherwell’s Black Five 45484 rounding the curve through Lesmahagow’s single platform on the Coalburn branch, with a pigeon special to Carstairs on Thursday, 30 May 1963. The Coalburn branch ran from Motherwell to Coalburn through Lesmahagow and was built to serve mining interests in South Lanarkshire. This train would have been routed via Motherwell, the Mossend Junctions, Holytown and Wishaw to the WCML at Law Junction and then to Carstairs, a distance of around 34 miles, even though the distance between Coalburn and Carstairs is just under 15 miles as the crow flies. (WS6784)
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Below: Gorton Crossing Loop on Saturday, 1 June 1963. D34 NB256 Glen Douglas & Eastfield J37 64632 plus 9 coaches, working the northbound leg of ‘The Jacobite’ farewell to steam on the West Highland excursion, which was organised by the Scottish Locomotive Preservation Fund. Steam had been withdrawn the previous December and diesels now ruled the moors and glens but this trip, all the way from Glasgow to Mallaig and back, was to be the swansong of steam in the west. A crossing had just been made with the morning southbound passenger service, it was glorious summer weather and Glen Douglas, resplendent in North British livery, looked good in the midday sun – but all was not well. The train engine had just developed a hot box and could not continue further, so was detached and shunted over to the up loop. Having sustained some delay Glen Douglas then soldiered on, downhill thankfully, unaided towards Rannoch, but more trouble lay ahead. Note the excursionists swarming around the train - Gorton had never been quite so busy in all its operational days. Also of note are the clutch of gas bottles between the two engines which provided supply to the points heaters at that wild location, essential during the winter months. 64632 was built in June 1921, withdrawn from Thornton Junction in December 1965 and cut up at McWilliam’s in Shettleston during March 1966. (WS6789) Opposite Bottom: J37 64592 being turned at Mallaig after arriving on the very late running ‘Jacobite’. As can be seen it is all hands to the pump as the table had not been used for many weeks and was consequently very stiff to operate. Having at last reached the terminus, the poor maintenance of those steam engines that were left was again underlined as 64592 had developed a hot axle box on its journey from Fort William, so this was also now a failure. To make matters worse, 64636 did not have the necessary power to take the nine coaches back to Fort William unaided, so another diesel locomotive, this time a Sulzer Type 2 (D5351) was summoned to do the needful. Departure from Mallaig was achieved at 5.12pm, 242 minutes late. 64636 was left at Mallaig to take 64592 back to Fort William. There were further challenges ahead but despite that arrival in Glasgow for our weary day trippers at 8 minutes past midnight was ‘only’ 125 minutes late, where the then Scottish Region Assistant Passenger Manager and future British Rail Chairman, a certain (later Sir) Bob Reid, met the train and ensured forward travel arrangements to get everyone home safely. So finished a rather dismal day in the annals of the West Highland, which had started out with great expectations and what had hoped to be a fitting end to steam but ended, despite the best efforts of the staff on the ground, in disgrace. Who could have predicted at that time that ‘The Jacobite’ would rise again and provide sterling service along the modern day Mallaig Extension? (WS6794)
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Left: Following on from the developing drama at Gorton in WS6789, we are now at Rannoch. Glen Douglas has suffered a collapse of the brick arch into the firebox and declared a failure, so with assistance from Fort William some 35 miles and 80 minutes away, it was again a case of everybody out and enjoy the sun. Having now been delayed twice, a further insult to the excursionists was the appearance of the rescue engine, a North British Type 2 diesel No D6137 coming over Rannoch viaduct squealing on the check rails. Coupling up to Glen Douglas and train was achieved promptly but despite that departure was nearly 100 minutes late against the schedule. It was developing into a day of calamity after calamity…and it wasn’t over yet as Mallaig had still to be reached. On arrival at Fort William, Glen Douglas was despatched to the shed in disgrace and a pair of hastily prepared but reasonably smart looking (to the casual observer anyway) J37s (Polmont allocated 64592 and 64636) were attached to the train for the trip along The Extension, and off they went at 2.38pm, now 135 minutes late, and counting. Built at Cowlairs in 1913 Glen Douglas was withdrawn from BR service at Keith Junction as 64269 in July 1959. It was then restored to North British livery for special excursion work before being finally withdrawn in 1965. There was a tentative plan to bring her back into full operational service for the centenary of the West Highland in 1994 but sadly this did not happen. It now resides at the Riverside Museum in Glasgow. (WS6790)
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Opposite: Another valuable record of a scene that would barely have been worth a second glance on Monday, 15 July 1963: A McIntosh ex Caledonian Railway ‘812’ class 0-6-0 rumbles through Bogside Racecourse station, to the north of the Ayrshire Town of Irvine. The train is composed of gunpowder wagons, presumably from the Nobel Explosives factory at Ardeer, near Stevenston. The station looks deserted and rarely used. Not surprising then that it closed completely on 2 January 1967, having lost the ‘Racecourse’ suffix in June 1965. Bill records this locomotive as 1899-built 57627, then based at Ardrossan, and must have been one of the very last class 812s in service in Scotland. A sister engine, Caledonian Railway 828 (BR 57566) is active on the Strathspey Railway from Aviemore. (WS6920) Above: An unusual visit to Ayr of one of Sir William Stanier’s mighty Coronation Class Pacifics in the shape of 46223 Princess Alice, a long-term Polmadie engine, more used to heavy expresses on the West Coast Main Line. She’s about to return to Glasgow on a set of non-corridor coaches on a return special from Ayr Races to Glasgow St Enoch on Monday 15 July 1963. One hopes that the lack of facilities in the non-corridor stock doesn’t prove too uncomfortable for those that have spent the day at the races. (WS6925)
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Above: The former Caledonian Railway line from Holytown Junction to Law Junction via Wishaw was, and still is, an extremely useful section of railway that allows freights from Coatbridge and Mossend Yard to by-pass Motherwell with its frequent passenger service. It’s an important diversionary route from the main WCML (with affected trains travelling from Uddingston Junction via Bellshill and Holytown). It was electrified in the early 1970s as part of the Weaver Junction-Glasgow electrification of the northern part of the WCML. Polmadie’s Standard Class 5 73057 is southbound near Carfin, soon after passing Holytown Junction, with a fitted freight on Thursday, 18 July 1963. (WS6935) Opposite: Stanier Jubilee 45580 Burma, allocated to Warrington Dallam, is a long way from home as it storms uphill approaching Kirkconnel with a trainload of holiday makers returning from Blackpool to Glasgow on Saturday, 27 July 1963. No doubt the eleven coaches will be well loaded, and the traincrew will be glad to reach the summit at Polquhap before running downhill to Kilmarnock. The A76 can be seen below the railway on the right but doesn’t appear to be particularly busy with traffic. Blackpool was a popular destination for Glaswegians with a number of through services, especially at the time of the Glasgow Fair holiday. 45580 had been a long-term resident of Blackpool Central shed before its transfer to Dallam in June 1963. It was built at the NBL Locomotive works in Glasgow in October 1934. Its thirty-year career ended at Newton Heath from where it was withdrawn in December 1964, finally being scrapped in April 1965. (WS6956)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: On Saturday, 27 July 1963 Hurlford allocated Black 5 45010 storms downgrade south of Kirkconnel station heading for the newly opened Kingmoor Marshalling Yard, just north of Carlisle. This had replaced numerous smaller yards in the Carlisle area as part of BR’s on-going modernisation plan. 45010 is showing Class E lamps and the train itself looks to be fully fitted, so a slightly more comfortable ride for the guard in the brake van as the train makes it way along the former G&SW main line. Below the rather tidy railway embankment on the left is the River Nith and a somewhat quiet A76. 45010 was to last a further month before being withdrawn from Hurlford at the end of August 1963 and was scrapped by the Barnes & Bell scrapyard at Coatbridge. (WS6957) Opposite Bottom: Connoisseurs of former Caledonian Railway signal cabins to note – they don’t come much finer than this. This location, originally Milnwood Junction but now known as Mossend South Junction, allowed northbound trains a threeway split – straight on to Mossend and Perth, right (left in photo) to Holytown, Shotts and Edinburgh Princes Street, or left to Bellshill, Uddingston and Glasgow Central. An additional route to Mossend was added in 1903 to cope with burgeoning traffic. Behind the train is Stewart & Lloyds Clydesdale Tube Works, one of that company’s several large plants in Scotland. British Steel was still four years away. Behind the distant semaphores is Jerviston Junction, where a line branched to give access to the tube works and also the new Ravenscraig steelworks, opened in the early 1950s. Kingmoor’s Light Pacific 72005 Clan Macgregor has her eight coaches wheeling nicely, though withdrawal was only a couple of years away. (WS6993) Below: It’s a Friday night in summer, but judging by the city-bound passengers’ attire an early autumn chill has descended on Paisley Canal with the 6.48pm Kilmacolm to St Enoch running in, Corkerhill’s Standard Class 4 2-6-4T 80021 in charge, running bunker first, which these engines were designed to do on just such workings as this. Paisley Canal closed along with the branch to Kilmacolm in January 1983, but the line to Glasgow was re-opened seven years later in July 1990, from a new Paisley Canal station behind the photographer on the other side of Causeyside Street. (WS7052)
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Above: Tuesday, 10 September 1963 and Dawsholm allocated 4MT 43140 is seen taking a run up the gradient with an assortment of empty steel carrying wagons en route back to the steel mills of North Lanarkshire for reloading. The loco may have worked in with loaded traffic probably to Scotstoun West Yard from where the loads would be further directed to the numerous shipbuilding industries on the north bank of the River Clyde. 43140 is heading towards Possil on the former Caledonian route between Maryhill Central & Balornock with the rear of the train passing over the former North British line between Cowlairs North Junction and Maryhill Park which is still in use today. The line to Lambhill Ironworks can be seen curving away to the right; this ran parallel with the Up line as far as Possil station where it connected into the main line. The line was worked by the ‘One Engine in Steam’ regulations, with the train staff kept in Possil signal box and was subject to a 5 mph speed restriction throughout. The Up Distant signal worked by Possil signal box (Lever no 9) is seen in the clear position, ensuring the train can maintain its speed to get up the gradient and over the former NB main line just east of Eastfield loco shed before turning south towards Balornock Junction. Just visible to the right of the leading buffer on 43140 is the hand lever for the spring catch points which the loco’s leading pony truck is passing over. Due to the steep nature of the Up line with a rising gradient of 1 in 77 and 1 in 97 between Maryhill Central and Springburn Park, spring catch points were provided on either side of both Possil and Springburn Park stations. 43140 was an Ivatt design with the class somewhat unkindly acquiring the nickname of ‘Flying Pigs’. The loco was built in Doncaster Works entering service in August 1951 at Polmont. Approximately three years later it was transferred to St Rollox and spent time at both Parkhead and Dawsholm before heading south to the North Eastern Region on 25 October 1963. After working around various NE Region loco sheds, it was withdrawn in June 1967. (WS7085) Opposite: BR Standard light Pacific 72007 Clan Mackintosh, based at Carlisle Kingmoor, runs into Wishaw Central with the 12.25pm Glasgow Central - Lockerbie stopper on Friday, 13 September 1963. Wishaw Central is on what is known as the ‘Wishaw Deviation’ line, parallel to the West Coast Main Line which is half a mile or so to the south. There is a connection from the WCML near what is now Shieldmuir station, and the train has probably used this, or may possibly have come via Bellshill and Mossend South, which would have avoided Motherwell. This route provided a connection for freight traffic from Mossend Yard to the WCML at Law Junction, avoiding the busy Motherwell station. Wishaw Central was considerably more convenient for Wishaw (pronounced ‘Wishy’ locally) town centre than the WCML’s Wishaw South station, which closed in 1958, resulting in ‘Central’ being dropped from the name of what then became Wishaw’s only station. In the distance can be seen the erstwhile Ravenscraig steelworks, opened in the late 1950s and providing considerable employment, not to mention freight traffic for the railway. The up side buildings seen here have also gone, and of course the overhead wires have appeared. It would be interesting to know what happened to the loco and stock when it got to Lockerbie, as there were no loco turning facilities there. (WS7113)
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Bob Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson TheAvery, Steam Railway Western Scotland
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Ayr allocated Black 5 45460 arrives at Gatehouse of Fleet on Saturday, 18 July 1964 with the 6.15pm Saturdays Only service from Dumfries to Stranraer Harbour. The signalman and the fireman can be seen carrying out a double handed tablet exchange as the train eases to a stop on the down platform. Whilst not as remote as its neighbour Loch Skerrow, Private Fraser of Dad’s Army fame would be quite right in describing it as a “Wild and Lonely place”. Originally opened as Dromore, the name of the station changed to Gatehouse and back to Dromore a few times early in its history with a final reversion to Gatehouse Of Fleet from 1 June 1912. Its other claim to fame was that it was the longest distance in the UK between the locale it was opened to serve and the station, this being approximately seven miles. The station was closed to passengers and freight from 5 December 1949 due to the continuing lack of revenue but the crossing loop and signalbox remained in use. Following local protestations, the station was re-opened to passengers on a temporary basis. This gave one service in the morning to pick up any passengers heading east towards Castle Douglas with two westbound services calling in the afternoon and early evening to set down passengers. The station was fully re-opened from 22 June 1953 for passengers only. Goods and parcels traffic lost since the initial closure in 1949 did not return in the 1953 reopening. Gatehouse Of Fleet was somewhat unique in that both the LMS and BR assisted the local populace with the provision of a combined Community Hall and place of worship. In 1939 the LMS placed a former Caledonian Railway 3rd Class coach on the loading bank siding for use of the community and the local minister; this was known as the “Fivepenny Hall”. The ravages of time and weather took their toll on the coach concerned and in late 1964 a request was made for a replacement. In January 1965 the former Great North of Scotland Railway Royal Saloon which was built in 1859 for the then Prince of Wales was offered in replacement. On 7 February 1965, the first Sunday service took place with SC972002E being officially handed over by J.G Urquhart, the Scottish Region Assistant General Manager. The coach survived the closure of the line and remained in situ until succumbing to vandalism sometime in the 1970s. The main building seen in the picture is the only part of the station still in situ and is now a private residence. 45460 was built by the LMS at Crewe Works as 5460 in October 1938 and spent all its working life in Scotland. Initially working from Perth South, it had spells at Dundee Tay Bridge, Inverness, Corkerhill and finally Ayr from where it was withdrawn in June 1965. It was finally scrapped at Arnott Young’s scrapyard, Troon in June 1968. (WS7581)
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An unidentified LMS built Hughes 2-6-0 ‘Crab’ displaying head code ‘32’ and an unrecorded Black 5 are ready to leave Girvan station with a double headed St Enoch to Stranraer Harbour extra on Glasgow Fair Saturday, 18 July 1964. A Swindon InterCity set has just arrived from Stranraer in the (down) northbound platform. Note Girvan No. 3 signal box on the left. The double heading indicates that a heavy train is being hauled and the somewhat notorious 4 mile long, predominantly 1 in 54, Glendoune bank lies ahead. The Ayr to Stranraer section was particularly challenging with its many long and steep gradients, especially the undulating sections between Girvan and Dunragit, where the footplatemen and guards of unfitted freight trains had to keep all couplings tight to avoid snatches and breakaways. One very wet and stormy night immediately post WW2, the Class 5 hauled 11.35pm goods from College Yard in Glasgow to Stranraer was conveying 18 wagons of gas shells for dumping in the Irish Sea. Immediately upon leaving Girvan the 11.35 got into difficulty on the sea salt laden wet rail but kept battering on up the hill. Meantime the 1.10am from Falkland Junction, also conveying 9 wagons of gas shells in its consist, had arrived in the recently vacated up platform and sat waiting for the toiling 11.35 to clear the section ahead. Suddenly, clattering at speed out of the darkness came the entire 11.35 train which had broken away from the engine. Years of experience had taught signalman Walker on duty at No. 3 signal box to turn the loop points towards the empty northbound (down) platform immediately the 11.35 had cleared the station, and thank goodness he did, as he saved the town of Girvan from an ecological disaster that night. Was he recognised for this we wonder? No doubt he would have shrugged off such acknowledgements as in his mind he was ‘just doing his job’. The Guard of the 11.35 must have had a terrible experience, trying and failing to stop the runaway portion in his brake van, as he left the service shortly after. Girvan No. 3 signal box is the only one of the trio left in operation today and perhaps surprisingly the track layout in the photograph has changed little. (WS7610)
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It’s Saturday, 1 August 1964, and the last few weeks of service for Carlisle Upperby allocated 46225 Duchess of Gloucester as she storms through Lamington after departing Carstairs at 2.33pm, ready to start the climb up through the Upper Clyde valley towards Wandelmill and the Summit. 46225 is working the 12.20pm Perth to London Euston express which was a popular service, saving any London bound passengers from the Central belt and north thereof the potential inconvenience of crossing Glasgow to get to Central station. A miniature buffet was provided throughout, which no doubt did a roaring trade through to Euston, where the service was booked to arrive at 9.42pm. Lamington closed in 1965, along with the majority of the stations between Carstairs and Carlisle with the exception of Beattock, which survived until 1972. Lockerbie remains the only intermediate station still open on the former Caledonian main line, though there are tentative steps towards the reopening of some of the others. Lamington signal box survived until 1972 when its functions were briefly taken over by Abington box further south. Abington succumbed to the march of progress caused by the introduction of colour light signalling controlled from Motherwell Signalling Centre and the continuing electrification of the WCML from Carlisle. 46225 was designed by William Stanier and was built at Crewe Works in May 1938 as one of the early streamlined Stanier Pacifics with the streamlining being removed in March 1947. From January to June 1955, 46225 took part in drawbar tests on both the Settle & Carlisle line and Rugby Testing station which confirmed that Stanier’s Princess Coronation class were the most powerful steam locomotives at the time. 46225 was withdrawn a few weeks later in early September 1964 and was one of a number of former Upperby allocated Stanier Pacifics to meet its end at Arnott Young’s scrapyard in Troon during December of that year. (WS7635)
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An undated picture looking south from the Edinburgh Road overbridge in Dumfries which conveyed the A701 over both the Port Road towards Castle Douglas and the GSW main line towards Mauchline. An unidentified Jubilee heads north on the GSW main line with down express 1S99. The fireman will be taking advantage of the next four miles of reasonably level running before starting the climb up towards Auldgirth. The Port Road for Stranraer heads away to the right of the picture, this closing as a through route in 1965 with the line being cut back to a long siding in order to serve a number of industries in Maxwelltown. Traffic to and from Maxwelltown ceased in 1994 with the siding being significantly shortened. On the upper left of the picture can be seen the former Caledonian Railway’s goods yard in Dumfries known as St Mary’s. This was also the site of the Caley’s locomotive shed which closed in 1923 with all locos being concentrated on the former GSW loco shed located to the south of the station. The line seen heading off to the left of the picture was the former Dumfries, Lochmaben & Lockerbie Railway which was operated by the Caledonian Railway. This formed a vital link for the Caley during their tenure of the Portpatrick Railway from 1864 to 1885. Passenger traffic over this line ceased in 1952 with complete closure in 1966. In the summer of 1964 when engineering work closed Drumlanrig tunnel south of Sanquhar, the line had its own Indian summer with the Sunday afternoon Dumfries – Perth Milk train being diverted via Lochmaben to Lockerbie, where it rounded its train to head north via the WCML. A unique feature of the railways in Dumfries was the Signal Tower shown in the upper left skyline. This was originally sited further north at the confluence of the main GSW line and the Port Road from Castle Douglas. It was moved to the position seen in the picture in order to deal with rail traffic from Lockerbie when that line opened. The Signal Tower was superseded by Lockerbie Junction signal box which became Dumfries No. 1, following the Grouping in 1923 and closed in 1957 when the whole station area was re-signalled with colour light signals and power operated points. The Signal Tower, which was a prominent local landmark, was demolished sometime in the late 70s to early 80s. (WS7680)
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The Steam Railway Western Scotland Opposite Top: Saturday, 10 April 1965 and Dumfries based Standard Class 4 2-6-0 76073 working the 2.50pm from Dumfries has arrived at Kirkcudbright on time at 3.48pm. The headlamp is already off so preparations are being made to propel back into the loop and round the two coaches in readiness for returning to Dumfries at 4.51pm. Although there was a 44 ½ ft turntable at Kirkcudbright, this did not appear to have been used often as many trains heading away from the terminus always seemed to be tender first, certainly in the latter days of operation. The signal box was reduced to a ground frame in November 1955 when ‘One Engine in Steam’ was introduced on the branch from the junction at Castle Douglas. Consequently, the layout was simplified and one up and one down main signal was retained but normally left in the clear position, unless shunting or rounding were required. Latterly no engines were stabled overnight here. After the last passenger train arrived, the coaches were moved to the yard and the engine then worked the daily goods back to Dumfries. The following morning the engine returned with the down goods, which upon arrival moved the coaches over to the station platform for the first passenger departure at 6.25am and then carried out the necessary wagon shunting. On Saturday 10 August 1963, during the final move onto the coaches in the platform, a relatively new driver misjudged his braking on the downward gradient and came into heavy contact with the coaching stock. This resulted in the rearmost vehicle ploughing through the buffer end, the 4ft wall behind it (tearing off the bogies in the process) and nearly demolishing a café & house on the other side of the street. The fact it was also Kirkcudbright Gala day and the stationmaster was the provost of the town, made it a very unforgettable event, as might be imagined. Passenger trains were withdrawn on 1 May 1965 and a daily coal train survived for another 6 weeks before the branch closed completely on 12 June. 76073 was withdrawn from Ayr on 30 June 1966 and cut up by Arnott Young in Troon during the November of that year. (WS7960) Opposite Bottom: A closer view of Stanier Jubilee 4-6-0 45573 Newfoundland at Stranraer shed prior to working troop train headcode 1X32. The tender has a full to almost overflowing stock of coal in preparation for the challenging run along the Port Road to Dumfries. 45573 was built by the North British Locomotive Company in Glasgow during 1934 and was based at Leeds Holbeck at the time this photograph was taken. It had presumably been ‘borrowed’ by Kingmoor after working north over the Settle and Carlisle. It was withdrawn from Holbeck on 31 August 1965 and cut up at Clayton & Davie, Dunston-onTyne on 31 January 1966. Also, in the photograph sitting at the door of the shed is Standard Class 4 2-6-0 76001, then an Ayr engine, but unique in being the only one of its class allocated to the West Highlands. After a month in Oban it spent two years at Fort William from June 1960, working principally on the Mallaig extension. (WS8033) Below: 7P6F 4-6-2 72006 Clan Mackenzie coming down the 1 in 100/1 in 200 bank from Cairntop Summit skirting the northern edge of Mark of Luce moss, working the first ten coach special troop train (Headcode 1X30) from Stranraer Harbour to Woodburn on Sunday 16 May 1965. The A75 main turnpike road from Newton Stewart to Glenluce can be seen on the left and is about to cross over the line on a skew arch bridge. The regulator is open on 72006, which is unusual on a downhill gradient so perhaps the train has just come off a permanent way speed restriction and needs to make up lost time. The second special followed worked by sister engine 72008 Clan MacLeod, then a third worked by Jubilee 45573 Newfoundland. The three trains left Stranraer at 13.40, 14.15 and 14.50 respectively. These military workings required the ‘long section’ signal boxes on the Port Road to be opened specially as they normally closed between 1am and 2am on a Sunday morning, not opening again until the early hours of a Monday morning - a nice bit of extra overtime for the signalmen. 72006 was built at Crewe in February 1952 and was based at Carlisle Kingmoor throughout its 10 years and nearly 3 months working life, being withdrawn on 21 May 1966, just over a year after this photograph was taken. It was cut up at McWilliam’s, Shettleston in August 1966. (WS8034)
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72008 Clan MacLeod working the second troop train, 1X31 14.15 Stranraer to Woodburn approaching Gatehouse of Fleet, having just passed the station’s up distant signal on Sunday, 16 May 1965. Each of those ten coach trains had the capacity to carry 36 First and 242 Second Class military personnel, complete with their kits, and had a total trailing weight of 330 tons. With each train running 35 minutes apart, sharp timings had to be maintained by the men on the footplate to ensure the entire operation ran smoothly and it looked to have been rather damp conditions, which would surely have added to the challenges they faced. The troops, who were based in Northern Ireland at the time, were heading to Woodburn to take part in a training exercise and nearly 800 must have been conveyed on that Sunday nearly 60 years ago. (WS8035)
Jubilee 45573 Newfoundland pounding up the 7 mile, 1 in 80 Creetown bank with the third and final troop train (1X32) from Stranraer Harbour to Woodburn on Sunday, 16 May 1965. This photograph was taken as the train had just passed over the 4 arch Culcronchie Viaduct. The viaduct crossed both the Culcronchie Burn and the B796 to Gatehouse of Fleet which was built to connect the village with the station of that name some 6½ miles away; the road can be seen climbing over the hill in the distance. Culcronchie viaduct was demolished after the line closed. The stock is predominantly ex LMS although there is a BR Mark 1 FSK third in the rake, most likely for the officers. The entire contingent returned to Stranraer Harbour from Woodburn two weeks later on Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 May 1965 when the whole operation, this time in reverse (including empty coaching stock movements) was repeated. The only difference this time was that it took two trains on the Saturday and a further two trains on the Sunday to get them all back - perhaps some new recruits had been enlisted. Could today’s railway have accommodated such an exercise? No further intensive peacetime workings of this kind have been recorded on the Port Road. (WS8037)
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THE STEAM RAILWAY WESTERN SCOTLAND
Published by Transport Treasury Publishing Ltd. £14.95
C O M P I L E D B Y AV E R Y, M A X T O N E & D AV I D S O N
W A C ‘Bill’ Smith was a prolific photographer of steam locomotives, Clyde Steamers and trams. He travelled extensively throughout Scotland during the 1950s and 1960s recording the changes as the older pre-grouping steam classes disappeared to be replaced by the new Standard types and the even more modern diesel power. In so doing he also photographed much of the infrastructure dating back to the pre-group Scottish railways which was similarly being demolished or replaced at the time. His other claim to fame was as the organiser of many rail tours which covered Scotland in the same period. Bill’s images encompass much variety, from the graceful Great North of Scotland 4-4-0s usually in beautifully clean condition to the work stained North British 0-6-0s many of which, with long working lives, ended their days carrying out the same duties they were originally designed for - hauling trains of coal around Fife. Former Caledonian Railway locomotives are also seen with the ubiquitous 0-4-4 tanks on branch lines and many 0-6-0s moving goods traffic. The workhorses of passenger traffic, LNER B1s, V2s and LMS Black 5s as well as examples of express power are also portrayed.
THE STEAM RAILWAY WESTERN SCOTLAND
Compiled by Bob Avery, Graham Maxtone & Dave Davidson Featuring Images of The W A C Smith collection
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