Steam engines and rolling stock on the Inverness to Wick/Thurso line 1955-60?

[dromia]

As a child I still remember the steam trains passing through Brora and the fascination they held for me. In winter I used to stand with my father at the door watching the evening trains pass and the excitement as the cab lit up when the fireman opened the fire door to shovel in some coal.

 

Anyway I have always had a hankering to make static models of the engines and rolling stock used on this line in the last days of steam.

 

My knowledge of railways is cursory at best and I have no idea of the engines and rolling stock types used on that line so any information or information source about this would be welcomed.

 

If there are any model kits of these then that would indeed be a bonus for me and perhaps prompt me into the realms of railway modelling.

Edited March 10, 2021 by dromia

[Circloy]

Being at the end of the line so to speak I can't see much on the web, I guess they both were places many didn't go 'trainspotting'.

 

I was expecting to see thing like black fives & BR Mk 1 coaches instead I'm seeing pre-grouping loco's & older LMS coaches but that could be right even in the late 50's. Things in those days just lasted.,

 

If your looking for kits to build I think you will struggle unless you can build in white metal or brass and even then choice will be limited.

 

The other option is ready to run & your probably better off asking over on one of the railway modelling forums but beware they are full of self appointed and opinionated 'experts'. I've seen one site reduce newcomers to gibbering wrecks before the new member has reached double digit posts, with i would add the aid of the webmaster.

 

this Flickr link might bring back memories

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/albums/72157691625089715

 

good luck on your hunt.

 

 

[dromia]

Thank you for the link, yes it brings back memories. The man leaning on the hand cart in the Brora South Box photo is Ian Weatherspoon he was in my class in school and is now long dead.

 

I've tried the netty myself and there is indeed a paucity of information on the line, I used to travel it regularly going back and forth from Brora to Edinburgh whilst at university.

 

I think I will give the railway forums a miss as I am reducing my internet use and only visit three forums of differing interests now a days, and rarely follow links but I am glad that I followed the link you posted. Some very nice steam engine photos but alas I know not what I am looking at. If they went through Brora I would have seen them as my mother used to run the Menzies kiosk on the platform and I spent school holidays playing around the station.

 

I was rather hoping that some one had written an authoritative tome on the line as print is my much preferred medium. I do have stuff on its history but little on the mechanics of the railway.

[Circloy]

Is there a local(ish) model railway group, history group or museum that might be able to assist?

 

Electronically due to current restrictions.

 

https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/clubs.html

[Paws4thot]

Sorry mate. I went and looked in what library I have down here, and I have nothing on lines, any lines, to and from Inverness.

 

There is a good second hand book shop in the Morrison building, corner of Harbour Road and Station Road, Mallaig that might be worth trying. I can't remember the actual name, but I'd always drop in when waiting for a ferry or a train.

Edited May 12, 2021 by Paws4thot

[Paul821]

I put "Far north lines railway book" into an internet search engine and got a number of hits which might meet your requirements.

 

Backtrack magazine might also have some images an index of the earlier issues is here.

 

http://www.pendragonpublishing.co.uk/html/25-year_index.html