Scottish Rover memories, June 82- thanks to Trev Rolfe
17 years old and armed with a week Scottish rover, I headed up north with the intention to cover as much new line and visit as many depots as I could!
An HST took me the swiftest route to Edinburgh , passing such delights as 31’s stabled at Grantham, 37’s galore around Newcastle and 03 station pilots at Newcastle and Berwick. A visit to Haymarket depot was a must and then an evening bashing 27018,016,037 to round off the day.
20227
on Haymarket 190682
25227 ticking over and HA regular 08711, 190682
The next day 27033 was taken on a round about route via Dundee to Glasgow , where Eastfield, Motherwell and Polmadie were all visited. A friendly driver then gave me a cab ride in 20121 from Polmadie sidings down to Rutherglen, and then it was back to Queen Street for a run in 47534 up to Perth in the cab after another friendly driver offered a ride up front! We passed the site of a recent train crash just south of Perth and the driver pointed out the errant loco, 47522 on Perth stabling point.
47522,
Perth 210682
26031
and a fine array of power, behind the famous wall at Perth 210682
In the morning 47449 was taken back to Glasgow , for a run down to Ayr and the depot there, heading back to Queen Street for the 1634 to Fort William with old March favourite 37039. A quick look in the cab revealed the driver from 47534 the day before who wasted no time in offering what was to be my third cab ride and by far the best one I have ever experienced all the way to Fort Bill , even getting a go at token exchanging!
West Highland
crossing at Glen Douglas, 37081 on the 1610 from Mallaig, taken from the cab of
37039, 220682
A hitched lift the next day dropped me nicely in Inverness, to take 26031&033 heading the 1020 to Glasgow .
Classic Perth!,
26031 and 26033 with the 1020 Inverness-Glasgow, 230682
A run over to Edinburgh on 47702 and then a unit up to Dumfermline depot, before heading on to Dundee behind 27033. 26021 was had on the 2 coach mail train to Perth , a half BG allowed for passengers, although I was the only one! This set me up for the first overnight up and down the highland main line, with 47041, 26031, 26033, 40084, 27032 and 47002 all bagged by breakfast and back in Edinburgh. A few more moves ended me up in Glasgow behind 47149, a blast to Carlisle to get in the booked 25/26 via Kilmarnock was a waste of time as today it was a unit!
So it was back to Glasgow on trusty 87013 and then a quick cross city dash put me behind 47403 from Queen Street up to Perth . All that was missing now was a trip up to Aberdeen , so in the morning 47712 did the honours and after a scoot around the depot, I headed to Inverness behind 26033 (getting some serious mileage behind her now!) A few hours at Inverness were killed before making the long trek home, taking 47416 to Edinburgh , then 47017 on the 2235 to the Cross. A great overnight train absolutely packed and after a loco change at Newcastle where 46027 took over, an early morning arrival in London completed a great week in Jockland.
Adventure
over, 46027 at the Cross with the 2235 ex Edinburgh which the 46 had worked
from York, 260682
Many thanks to Trev for the text, gen and classic phots of Scotland, June 82