North of the Border - Colour
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Going Home?
37025 Inverness TMD heads for home as she climbs towards Drumochter working the Golden Stag tour from Linlithgow - Inverness. July 2016.
A class 156 Sprinter crosses the northern viaduct in the horseshoe curve at Auch whilst working a Glasgow Queen Street - Mallaig service during January 2017.
An unidentified class 156 Sprinter heads north from Bridge of Orchy on a changeable autumn afternoon working a Glasgow - Mallaig service. November 2017.
66099 crosses the Kyle of Sutherland at Invershin near the start of it's lengthy journey from Lairg to Mossend Yard with a train of empty fuel tanks. July 2016
Northern invader
As someone who lived on the former Southern Region for many years it was rather strange to be hauled by a refurbished ED across the Tay and on to Aberdeen. Early morning light catches 73970 as the 21.15 Euston - Aberdeen approaches Dundee on a fine summer's morning. May 2017.
37610 + 37409 thunder past Inverhaggenie Farm Crossing near Crianlarich working the returning Oban - Fort William leg of a weekend Landcruise. The weather had all but collapsed only an hour earlier so when the high cloud suddenly cleared there was a mad dash to find a location and whilst this one really works better for a single headed train I have no complaints!! April 2016.
67013 heads north near Crubenmore hauling the 21.16 Euston - Inverness sleeper service. May 2017.
Somewhat dwarfed by the scale of the scenery an unidentified pair of class 156 Sprinter units climb alongside Loch Trieg whilst working a Mallaig - Glasgow Queen Street service on a fine May evening. 2017.
66743 exits the Horsehoe Curve on a fantastic May morning hauling the Royal Scotsman from Bridge of Orchy. The recent addition of a deer fence at this location means a slightly wider angle view is necessary to get the train and mountain in the picture but with a view like this it would be churlish to complain!
Mixed Pair
A pair of Scotrail class 158's in old and current liveries head east at Kennethmont working an Inverness - Aberdeen service Ina pleasant spring morning. May 2017.
37416 heads onto Rannoch Moor hauling the Royal Scotsman charter train on its first run of the season in 2005. The loco had just been repainted and looked and sounded superb in the last rays of sun on 1st May 2005 as it headed for Spean Bridge.
In the middle of a torrential downpour 37423 and 37259 arrive at Stirling with a returning charter from Kyle of Lochalsh - Crewe. April 2014.
37417 Richard Trevithick enters the Horseshoe curve at Auch whilst working the Edinburgh to Fort William leg of the sleeper from Euston.
55003 Meld (aka 55022 Royal Scots Grey) heads towards Mallaig at Kinloid near Arisaig whilst working the luxury Royal Scotsman charter train en route from Spean Bridge. This was a great morning on the Mallaig Line and one I will remember for some time. Magic!!
Probably one of the few class 66 passenger workings on the West Highland, 66104 pauses at Crainlarich working the Salisbury - Fort William leg of a weekend landcruise. The 66 was added to the train at Carlisle earlier in the day after one of 2 37's on the train failed north of Preston. April 2009.
In rapidly fading light 37423 and 37259 blast across the magnificent Findhorn viaduct as they climb to Slochd summit with a returning charter from Kyle of Lochalsh - Crewe. April 2014.
60096 approaches Greenhill Lower Junction and catches the last rays of sun whilst working empty oli tanks destined for Grangemouth. This Friday evening shot was the last of the sun before a wet weekend in the Highlands.
37401 and 37417 head south across Slochd viaduct with the Inverness - Kings Cross leg of a weekend landcruise in October 2008. The light was dire but somehow digital camera technology has allowed a reasonable shot despite the conditions.
37401 and 37417 head east away from Achnasheen in the last light of an autumn evening in 2008 working the Kyle - Inverness leg of a weekend landcruise.
37012 Loch Rannoch awaits departure time from Oban with the 13.00 service to Glasgow Queen Street on a damp autumn day in 1983.
67009 crosses the River Fillan as it approaches Crianlarich hauling the Fort William - Euston sleeper on the evening of Friday 8th June 2012. The tranquility of this scene belies the level of midge activity that I had to endure in the 5 minutes or so that I had to wait by the river for the train to arrive!
67017 "Arrow" hauling the Euston - Inverness sleeper, climbs towards Drumochter and escapes the early morning mist as it passes Clunes Lodge some 5 miles north of Blair Atholl. Thursday 7th June 2012.
In pouring rain and running nearly an hour late 37667 and 688 power out of the horsehoe curve at Auch whilst working the Fort William - Dumbarton leg of a weekend landcruise. Sat 9th June 2012.
55022 "Royal Scots Grey" approaches Springburn hauling a Shields Road - Glasgow works stock move on Friday 3rd May 2013.
55022 "Royal Scots Grey" approaches Springburn hauling a Shields Road - Glasgow works stock move on Friday 3rd May 2013.
67011 approaches Rannoch with the Euston - Fort William sleeper on the morning of 4th May 2013. The sun dipped as the train approached and so a little work has been required to bring the picture to life.
Heading towards Corrour a class 67 hauls the Fort William - Edinburgh portion of the Euston sleepers on a fine summer evening in 2009.
47237 applies the power as it comes off the viaduct at Rannoch and starts the climb towards Corrour whilst working the Edinburgh - Spean Bridge leg of the Royal Scotsman charter. June 2013.
67021 arrives at Perth working the Inverness portion of the Euston sleeper. June 2013. This picture is in fact two images stitched together to create the slightly wide angle panorama.
37259 and 37423 pass Attadale and begin their journey along the shore of Loch Carron whilst hauling a Crewe - Kyle of Lochalsh charter. This was the brightest conditions that I saw the train in all day, however the sight and sound of 37's in the highlands is always a pleasure for me.
Another day and another attempt at the Scotsman at Pulpit Rock, south of Ardlui. And of course another failure - to be fair the odds were very heavily against a sunny shot so I guess I should be grateful for any light at all. 37416 has sun on the nose (but nowhere else!) as it heads south in 2004, shortly after a repaint.
37516 and 37685 approach Montrose working the Edinburgh - Keith leg of a Royal Scotsman "Classic" tour. At least there was a little light here - just a few miles further south where I had hoped to photograph the train was very misty and murky. 11th Sept 2014.
Forth Twighlight
A pair of class 156 units head south across the Forth Bridge after sunset on 11th September 2014
37401 Royal Scotsman and 37419 make a fine sight and sound as they ascend Lairg bank at Tomich on a stunning autumn morning in 2003. The train was en route from Inverness to Georgemas Junction and could be heard for a couple of minutes climbing away from the stop at Lairg for the electronic token.
37419 and 37401 drift round the curve at Attadale working a return Kyle of Lochalsh to Inverness land cruise in October 2003.
Two class 156 "sprinter" units head out of the Horseshoe Curve towards Bridge of Orchy on a changeable autumn day.
57601 heads away from Tulloch working an SRPS charter from Fort William and catches a lucky burst of sun. The slightly different angle was chosen for this shot to try and get a picture of 40145 on the rear of the train - the 40 should have been leading but there was, allegedly, insufficient time for refuelling during the layover at Fort William.
A pair of 73/9's approach Hartwood hauling the North Blyth - Fort William Alcan tanks, the first use of these locomotives on this service. A 66 was included both for insurance and to take the train forward from Mossend Yard where the 73's were removed. Jan 2016.
31233 awaits departure time from Wick with the 20.40 Network Rail test train to Inverness via Thurso.
DBSO 9708 leads the 21.30 Wick - Inverness Network Rail test train into Thurso. Jan 2016
Class 37 number 37114 "City of Worcester" heads south from Rannoch and catches a brief patch of sun whilst working the Fort William - Oban leg of the Tiberius Kirk railtour which had originated from Northampton the previous night. The train was running an hour or so late following the failure of 37023 at Tulloch. Earlier the same day I saw 114 and 023 heading north from Rannoch when 023 was already in trouble and shut down. July 1999.
Kyle Line Classic
Class 37, 37418 passes Attadale in June 1988 hauling a "Highlander" land cruise on its journey from Inverness - Kyle of Lochalsh.
Autumn West Highlander
37601 and 37610 cross the northern viaduct in the Horseshoe Curve at Auch whilst working the Fort William - Oban leg of a weekend land cruise. The weather was stunning and with some nice early autumn tints made the trip from the south worthwhile. Oct 2016
