This collection covers the ex Caledonian Railway route which now forms the northern end of the West Coast Main Line. The earliest views in the collection date from the 1920's and coverage continues through to the 1980's and 90's

The Great North of Scotland Railway was originally formed to build a line from Aberdeen to Inverness. However shortage of funds eventually resulted in only the section from Aberdeen to Keith being constructed and it was keft to Inverness interests to organise and build a connecting link which eventually reached Keith.
Dissatisfaction with the GNS coupled with the roundabout way the GNS linked them to the rest of the UK lead the Inverness interests to form their own link to the south direct to Perth and the various lines connected with this and Inverness ultimately combined to form the Highland Railway.
THe GNSR then spent several decades either trying to obtain running powers over the HR or promoting and building lines to try and complete their own route. This eventually led to their being 3 routes between Keith and Elgin although only the ex HR direct line survives. In addition the GNS constructed a network of branches in the North East plus long tentacles down the Spey Valley to Boat of Garten and Ballater on Deesside. Only the original main line survives today

A selection of views of the Highland Main line taken between 1983 and 1993, but some locations now have views from steam days some as early as the late 1920's.

Back in the early 1980's Inverness was the place to be for loco hauled trains with not one DMU in sight. There was still a fair amount of freight including grain, alumina, cement and Tar. With the Radio signalling program on the Northern lines Inverness was also re-signalled and the track layout simplified. At the time I was experimenting with Fuji 1000 ASA film which turned out to be a disaster, although without a fast film some of the scenes would not have been captured.

This collection covers the ex Highland section of the route between Inverness and Aberdeen plus branches from the 30's to the early 1990's

This is a journey up the Farther North line from Clachnaharry (Inverness) to Fearn mainly during the period 1983 to 1987 with a few views from steam days. The Journey continues with 2 further collections Tain to Lairg and Rogart to Wick & Thurso
More views are being added as they are acquired.

Our journey north continues; back in steam days TAIN was an important intermediate station and was the terminus of a local passenger service from Inverness which doubled the number of trains on this route south of the town. There were also a number of extra freight services from Tain to Inverness and all this extra activity was catered for by the provision of an engine shed, turntable and carriage siding. In BR days traffic declined and the local service ended in 1960, the loco shed being demolished shortly after. As the roads were improved and vacumn braked wagon services were eliminated freight traffic too all but dissappeared. Luckily on my first visit in 1983 most of the goods yard was intact and a photogarphic survey was undertaken. By my last visit in 1985 demolition was in progress and shortly after the sprinters arrived. I have never been back but it might be interesting to see if anything beyond the the station building has survived!
Continuing northwards our final station in this collection is LAIRG which is covered fairly extensively. Lairg was the railhead for a huge part of Sutherland and is the only station north of Inverness with the remnants of a freight service, there being a usually weekly train to the Oil depot.

This gallery continues coverage of the Highland Railway's route from Rogart to Wick and Thurso including the Dornoch branch

The line from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh when I first visited it in 1982 was still worked by Class 26 and also still had a small amount of freight although with the demise of vacumn braked goods services this soon went. Unfortunately on my first visit I lost my colour film as it had unknown to me jammed in the camera, however I did obtain several black and white shots of the 2 freights crossing at Strathcarron. In 1983 and 1984 26's still handled the passenger service although the farther north had gone over to Class 37. By 1985 37,s and radio signalling had taken over.

This collection covers steam at Inverness and also images of ex Highland Railway locomotives at various locations in Scotland

Steam & green Diesel power feature in this collection covering the ex Caledonian, Glasgow & South Western and North British lines west of Edinburgh, south of the Forth, around Clydeside and west to Ayrshire 1920's to the early 1970's

The era of BR Blue onwards in the lowlands south of the Forth and around Glasgow

This album covers the ex NB and CR lines in these areas. Perth also features in the Highland Main Line section and Aberdeen in the Inverness to Aberdeen collection. Images from the 1920's to the 1990's are included

The old North British section of the East Coast Main Line from Berwick to Edinburgh seemed to be the least popular of the 4 cross border main lines but there are some picturesque locations and in the 1980's before electrification and the decline in general rail freight an interesting variety of trains.

Millerhill Yard situated astride the old Waverley route had already been partially lifted by the 1980's. The east side and depot were still in use and sidings, later used as an electrification depot, at the south end were used to re-engine and hold through freights. Bilston Glen on the remains of the Glencorse branch to the south of Millerhill and sporadically Monkton Hall adjacent to the west yard still produced coal traffic. Mainstay of the local traffic were Class 26 especially the 7 slow speed fitted locos 26001-007.

Leith was the main freight terminal in Edinburgh in the 1980's and a variety of traffic was handled ranging from coal to Amonia and cars. The branch joined the ECML at Portobello with a further branch, formerly the Waverley route main line diverging south east to Millerhill yards. Portobello is also the eastern extremity of Craigentinny carriage sidings and at the time the disused freightliner terminal was awaiting demolition. I have now added a few views from steam days, 1920's onwards, plus a couple of images of Musselburgh.

Most of these views date from 1984-1987 with one or two earlier shots. With very little freight to be seen at Waverley the main attractions were the 47 sevens on the Glasgow push pulls and the Edinburgh to Dundee trains which featured mostly 27's but with the odd 40 and 47.

This collection covers the ex NORTH BRITISH Railway WAVERLEY Route and its associated branches; a network of lines through the Borders now almost totally gone although the Waverley Route is being 're-born' well at least as far as Galashiels. A short section also exists at Carlisle serving a cement terminal and the old Gretna Longtown branch services various MOD depots.
The quality of the views varies greatly from murky B&W negatives taken in my teens to original slides taken by the late Chris Gammell.
The gallery should continue to grow (slowly!)

I have always thought that this terminus would make an excellent model with its cramped location especially back in steam days when banking engines were used and there was also a small goods depot on the east side to add even more variety. Back in the 1980's there were numerous loco hauled services, nowadays you can have about 4 varieties of DMU!

ANNAN originally had 2 stations, the more important and still open today being the Glasgow & South Western establishment on the main line from Carlisle to Glasgow via Dumfries and Kilmarnock. The main buildings constructed from red sandstone survive today as a Restaurant and the ex GSWR timber signal box continues to control trains. Back in the 80's the line was singled as far as Gretna Jc but the growth in recent years of coal traffic from upper Nithsdale and especially from Hunterston has prompted Network Rail to re-double the line and work is in progress at the moment to complete this.
To the east of the town at Shawhill was the station of the Solway Junction Railway later part of the Caledonian . This was a survivor of an ambitous project to form a link from Kirtlebridge on the Caledonian main line through Annan and then over a long viaduct across the Solway to Bowness and then via a short section of the NBR Silloth branch continuing on to a junction with the Maryport and Carlisle railway at Brayton. The object of the line was Cumbrian iron ore then much in demand by iron works in Larnarkshire. Unforutunately the line was never really very successful partly because cheaper ores from Spain etc supplanted the Cumbrian ore and also because the Solway viaduct proved to be a white elephant with damage suffered frequently from winter ice floes and storms. After several interuptions the viaduct was closed after the First World War and a branch train shuttled from Kirtlebridge to Annan until 1931. Goods services gradually dwindled and until the end of the thirties only a loco from Kirtlebridge trundled down the branch and useing the connecting loop to the GSWR acted as Station pilot at the main station. The line was severed before the War however Shawhilll remained open for freight via the connecting chord from Solway junction until the early 1950's. Latterly the trackbed was used for a pipeline taking waste water from Chapel Cross Nuclear Power Station to the Solway, and the Sta Bldg with part of the Goods shed survives in private hands. THe photos from pre-nationalisation days were taken by JJ Cunningham apparently a resident in Annan for many years.

I have been collecting negatives of the railway facilities at Dumfries and now have a selection from the 1920's when it was a busy junction with the then important route to Stranraer branching off to the west and also the ex Caledonian line to Lockerbie which had lost much of its former importance firstly with the end of the Caledonians lease of the Portpatrick Railway and the subsequent formation of The Portpatrick & Wigtownshire Joint Committee, and later at the Grouping in 1923 when all the local railways became part of the LMS. There was a large ex GSWR shed the site now being occupied by a new Police Station and 2 large goods yards. THe Caledonian installation has gone but there is a remnant of the Larger GSWR yard although only used by the PW Dept nowadays. To the North West of the station were carriage sidings and the POrt Road originally had its own approach lines with at the Grouping direct access from the Lockerbie line. THe 1920's saw some rationalisation here with the bay platforms being rebuilt to a more conventional layout and sometime between the wars a new signal box was built on the east side of the line.
The letters at the start of the photo description indicate which decade it dates from with d being 1920's to l being the present decade

The ex GSWR main line always seems to be neglected by photographers (myself included) here is a small selection of views of the ex GSWR Main line north of Dumfries through Nithsdale and then on through Kilmarnock

Views from along the old Port Road and the ex GSWR line from Dumfries to Kirkcudbright. I don't have many images at the moment but am always on the look out for more!

Back in the 1980's the line from Stranraer to Girvan carried an interesting selection of loco-hauled trains from 4 coach sets on the Glasgow service to Mark 2d stock on the day time Euston "express" and of course a up to 16 coach overnight Euston sleeper. In addition there was a fairly heavy parcels traffic and a couple of freights conveying steel, cars and vans. Now its all gone and all there is are class 156, class156, and class 156! But at least the scenery is still there! I have acquired the odd neg from steam days and they will be added to the gallery.

Ayr in pre-electrification days was very interesting with local passenger services in the hands of a motley herd of DMU's, many on their last legs and the Stranraer services either 47 or 27 powered. Local freight power were classes 20,25,26 and 27 with the odd 37. Later 56's and 60's and now of course 66 or 66 or 66.

This is a record of the West Highland lines mainly in the 1980's concentrating mainly on infrastructure, train formations and the scenery. It is intended to be an archive for modellers. Views from earlier times are now included. Further collections continue coverage of the remainder of the West Highland and also the Crianlarich to Oban section.

This collection continues the survey of the West Highland mainly in the 1980's with some earlier views.

This album covers the former Caledonian route from Callander to Oban plus the Killin and Ballachulish branches.

This album continues the coverage of the West Highland lines and includes a detailed study of Glenfinnan in 1987
Most views are from the 1980's but there is also a selection of steam era images going back to the 1920's and also views of the old station at Fort William.

Views along the West Highland railway, spellings are taken from Bartholomews maps. For further views of the railway and Class 37 diesels at work on the line take a look at Ernies Scottish Railway archive gallery.
Prints can be purchased from Fotopic.

The bulk of this collection are from a visit ca 1973 in somewhat miserable weather. Out of some 1700 plus industrial slides taken by the photographer this is the only Scottish industrial location although he appears to have made a number of other trips and tours in the mid 1960's photographing BR.