This day in history 06 January
Images
Tickets and labels: The bus ticket I purchased (9/3d ...or approx 46p) on 6 January 1969 to get me back to Edinburgh and the start of the new term at Moray House - together with a Waverley route post-closure protest sticker (with thanks to Madge Elliot).
Newcastleton: A cold winters night in January 1969 fails to deter protestors at Newcastleton, led by local minister The Reverend Brydon Maben, from blocking the level crossing gates and thus the passage of the last scheduled train over the Waverley route, the 21.55 Waverley - St Pancras sleeper. David Steel MP, one of the passengers on the train, became a one-man arbitration service that night and was primarily responsible for Peak no 60 Lytham St Annes eventually being allowed to take the train forward over the crossing and continue its belated journey south.
Welsh's Bridge Junction: A snowplough train returning from Slochd edges behind Welsh's Bridge box at Inverness on 6th January 1982.
Welsh's Bridge Junction: With snow ploughs front and rear, two Class 26s slowly approach Inverness MPD on 6 January 1982, following snow clearance duties on the Highland Main Line.
Craiglockhart: EWS 66106 brings a PW train south through Craiglockhart cutting on the Edinburgh sub on 6 January 2005. The 'feathers' on the signal in the background are for Craiglockhart Junction and the spur to Slateford.
Aslockton: The car park side of the station building at Aslockton in 2005. The building is on the eastbound platform.
Aslockton: The rather nice waiting room on the westbound platform of Aslockton station in 2005.
DLO Smalmstown: Smalmstown depot in 2005 when used to store redundant class 20s. See image [[29431]]
Bottesford: A westbound service for Nottingham calls at Bottesford in 2005. The station has staggered platforms. Since the photograph was taken a linking footbridge has been installed.
Craiglockhart: A permanent way train heading for Millerhill yard running through the deep cutting between Craiglockhart and Morningside Road on the Edinburgh 'sub' in January 2005. The locomotive is EWS 66106.
Elton and Orston: The view west to Nottingham at Elton and Orston. The station is located on the Nottingham to Grantham/Sleaford line. Facilities include platforms (the eastbound being considerably longer), waiting shelters, barrow crossing and an access road. The village of Orston is to the north and Elton is to the south.
Elton and Orston: The view east at Elton and Orston showing the crossing between the platforms. There was a goods yard on the right hand side and a signal box on the left. The main station building, long gone, was on the westbound platform.
Gleneagles: Winter view of Gleneagles looking south from trackbed of the former Crieff branch. Bright low sun.
Gleneagles: Gleneagles, station masters house, looking north.
Portobello: EWS 66183 passing the Craigentinny wheel lathe on 6 January 2007 with a load of imported coal off the branch from Leith Docks destined for Cockenzie power station.
Glasgow Central: 334001 approaching Platform 10 at Glasgow Central
Glasgow Central: 390042 City of Bangor and 156506 approaching Glasgow Central with a departing Class 156 in the distance
Paisley Gilmour Street: 66402 with the daily WH Malcolm container service from Grangemouth to Elderslie passes through Paisley Gilmour Street
Edinburgh Waverley: Looking north from Market Street over the west end of Waverley on Sunday 6 January 2008 as 60029 Clitheroe Castle gets ready to leave platform 16 with a PW/electrification train.
Aberdour: The NXEC 0910 Edinburgh - Aberdeen passing Aberdour in winter sunshine on 6 January 2008
Edinburgh Waverley: West end of Waverley on 6 January 2008, with EWS 60029 Clitheroe Castle about to leave platform 16 with a PW/Electrification train being used in support of the ongoing work on the west end platforms and The Mound central tunnel. Note also the renewal work in progress on the platform canopies.
Kirkham and Wesham: With around 80 trains in each direction every day (Monday to Saturday) there is always something happening at Kirkham and Wesham. The four tracks that run from east of the station to beyond Kirkham North Junction also give a very flexible operating layout. In this view, towards Salwick from the overbridge, 156441 on the Up Slow calls at the station with the fast lines visible in the foreground.
Preston: A northbound Voyager on the Down Fast line approaches Preston on 6 January 2009. In the background is Bee Lane bridge and beyond it can be seen Farington Curve Junction under the central arch on the Slow lines. To the right at this junction are the lines to Ormskirk and East Lancashire. The photograph has been taken from Skew Bridge in Penwortham.
Kirkham and Wesham: Although the Transpennine Services do not stop at Kirkham, 185140 was routed through the platform road on this Manchester Airport to Blackpool North train. This view, from the overbridge outside the station entrance, is towards Kirkham North Junction with the fast lines on the right of the picture.
Clitheroe: 6K05 is the daily Carlisle to Crewe infrastructure train and, since 15th December 2008, has been routed via Settle and Blackburn rather than Shap. As the sun goes down at Clitheroe 66173 is halted, south of the station and just before the level crossing, waiting for the passenger service to clear Daisyfield Junction. Sometimes this train conveys four wheeled wagons but on this occasion the 66 was hauling nineteen bogie vehicles. Since this picture was taken there has been an upgrade to the line and an intermediate signal installed at Whalley to increase line capacity.
Preston: Looking north towards Preston on 6 January at the point where the 4 tracks widen to 6 as a TransPennine 185 heads towards Preston station in the distance.
Preston: A southbound 5 car Virgin Voyager passes a northbound Pendolino just south of Preston station on 6 January 2009.
Kirkham and Wesham: Low winter sun as a Blackpool to Manchester Airport service takes the Up Fast line through Kirkham and Wesham. 185129 is passing the site of Kirkham station signal box, which is the reason for the fast line deviation. The four lines become two again just round the corner. View east towards Salwick.
Glasgow Central: 334012 at Platform 15 of Glasgow Central waiting to depart for Ayr on 6 January. It is still in a rubbed down, partial liveried state and is being used due to a shortage of available units
Inverkeithing East Junction: Renewal of the up loop point at Inverkeithing East Junction on 6 January 2012.
Symington [2nd]: A southbound voyager passes the former junction and station at Symington in January 2013. The former route to Broughton and Peebles diverged to the left. This view is from a location to the north of the station site.
Rachan 'Junction': Just east of Rachan Junction the Peebles line passes through a deep (and flooded) cutting before emerging here. View west along the trackbed of the Peebles line towards the junction, with the Talla Railway approaching on the left across a bridge.
Paterson's No 1 Siding: Looking south along Ladhope Vale towards the site of the new Galashiels station on 6 January 2013 with the A7 running alongside on the right. The bridge carrying Station Brae over the line can be seen in the background just beyond the station site. Public services were to commence on 6 September 2015.
Bridge No 95: Crossing the Gala Water at the north end of Galashiels on 6 January 2013 with the site of Kilnknowe Junction just beyond the bridge. This will be the first bridge crossed by Edinburgh bound trains on the Borders Railway after leaving Galashiels station.
Newmills: 66107 skirts the Forth at Newmills with the 6K20 Seafield (Kirkcaldy) - Mossend engineers train on 6 January 2013.
Rachan 'Junction': A mile east of Rachan Junction the lonely trackbed of the Caledonian Railway's extension east from Broughton to Peebles stretches off into a wild landscape. Here and there the ballast remains nearly intact.
Symington [2nd]: Entrance to the former goods yard at Symington, looking north from the A72 on 6 January 2013. The WCML runs past behind the hedge on the left. [With thanks, a big wave and a belated Happy New Year to all fellow eejits. Ref query 14512]
Biggar: This is the former goods shed at Biggar viewed from across the field and former station site to the south in January 2013. Wooden goods sheds don't often survive. Just as well it found new uses.
Ladhope Tunnel: The south portal of Ladhope Tunnel on 6 January 2013, with the new retaining wall between the A7 and the cutting completed, all plant and equipment removed and the walking/cycling route reopened see image [[38125]].
Symington [2nd]: View west along the A72 looking back from the entrance to Symington village on 6 January 2013. Entrance to the goods yard is a right turn just beyond the building opposite (see image [[41894]]). The bridge to the left carries the WCML and on the other side is the entrance road leading up to the former station.
Symington [2nd]: Looking towards Symington, and Tinto Hill, from the trackbed of the former Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway. The view is west with the village of Symington just visible in the distance.
Wolfclyde Viaduct: Looking east to Coulter station, the building of which can be seen, over the curious double and single track piers of the viaduct by the station.
Ladhope Tunnel: Close up of the south portal of Ladhope Tunnel, Galashiels, on 6 January 2013, with the recently completed new retaining wall in place between the road and the cutting to allow widening of the tunnel for the new railway. See image [[51280]]
Broughton [2nd]: Remains of the island platform at Broughton in January 2013. The view looks south over the obliterated eastbound platform to the westbound platform, the reverse side of which served the Talla Railway.
Galashiels: Looking north along Ladhope Vale, Galashiels, on a damp January morning in 2013. The 62 bus is approaching along Stirling Street with the bus station just off picture to the left. Since 2015 Galashiels Transport Interchange has stood here, with the old bus station demolished and Stirling Street rerouted through the site. Today, the light controlled pedestrian crossing links the interchange with the Borders Railway station which now stands on the right, while the chap on the bike has hopefully passed his test.
Gorebridge: A wide angle view south over Gorebridge station site on 6 January 2013. Some further clearance work has taken place since the last visit in October 2012 - plus a pile of old tyres has now been deposited on the trackbed between the station house and Lady Brae road bridge!
Broughton [2nd]: Nice weather for ducks. Flooded fields surround the former Symington, Biggar and Broughton Railway. This view is some way west of Broughton and looks east.
Galashiels: A jogger heading south through Galashiels on a January morning in 2013. Ladhope Vale is on the right, with Galashiels bus station visible beyond on the south side of Stirling Street. Today the jogging route is the trackbed of the Borders Railway and the jogger would be passing through Galashiels station. The old bus station is no more and Stirling Street has been rerouted to run parallel with Ladhope Vale at this point, with a large bus/train Interchange now occupying the area between the two. For the October 2015 view see [[52872]].
Newtongrange: View south over Newtongrange station site on 6 January 2013. No noticeable change since the last visit in October, other than the appearance of various wooden stakes around the site.
Newtongrange [1st]: Looking north from the A7 road bridge at Newtongrange on 6 January 2013 over the site of the former station see image [[24342]] with the new site behind the camera on the south side of the bridge. Few noticeable changes since the previous visit if you discount larger puddles and a more interesting dog.
Ladhope Tunnel: The north portal of Ladhope Tunnel, looking towards the site of the new Galashiels station, on 6 January 2013. Note the skew construction and the reduction in width at the south end see image [[41638]]. [Note: Despite the name 'Ladhope Tunnel' (applied here on the basis of custom and practice) I understand the structure is technically an 'enhanced overbridge'.]
Causewayend Siding: To the west of Biggar the line crosses a fairly damp field full of drains and it is all rather overgrown. It is not obvious but there are two former railways in this view. To the right the course of the line to Symington can just about be seen. To the extreme left is the obliterated trackbed of the Culter Waterhead Railway running out from Causewayend Siding up to Culter Waterhead Reservoir. This view looks west in January 2013.
Rachan 'Junction': Rachan Junction looking east. The Talla Railway drops down gently to the right while the main line continues to the left en route to Peebles. The Talla line had a loop just before the junction. Both main line and Talla line ran as two single track railways back to Broughton as there was no physical connection here.
Symington [1st]: The 0830 London Euston - Glasgow Central Virgin Pendolino, having just crossed the bridge over the A72, is passing the site of the original (1848) Symington station. A replacement station was opened a short distance to the north in 1863 to include a platform serving the CR Peebles branch see image [[22588]].
Newtongrange [1st]: View from the original Newtongrange station looking south through the A7 road bridge on 6 January 2013. This was more than two and a half years before reopening of the Borders Railway. The platforms of the old station, which had closed 44 years earlier, were buried out of sight at this stage, but would be revealed once more, albeit temporarily, some 3 months later (see [[43528]]).
Dalgety Bay: The Network Rail Measurement Train approaching Dalgety Bay with a Craigentinny - Aberdeen and return working on 6 January 2015.
Wemyss Bay: Primulas and Christmas tree in Wemyss Bay's mild microclimate on 6 January 2015.
Preston: 90021 stands at platform 4 of Preston station at just before 0100 on 6 January 2015 with the Aberdeen/Fort William/Inverness sleeper. The train will divide at Edinburgh Waverley.
Partick Central: The chopped-off island platform looking towards the City. The street level station building stood above this location.
Partick Central: From the access to 'West Village', showing the full length of the Benalder Street bridge over the station throat. Nearest, the loading bank and goods yard and further over the passenger lines above which can be see the new railings across where the station building stood.
Tickets and labels: Ticket folder and ticket dated 6/1/16 for travel from Czestochowa (Stradom) to Krakow.
The journey time has been halved to 90 minutes since 2012 (see 39759) and these trains now use Stradom instead of the main station at Czestochowa Osobowa.
On enquiry of my daughter-in-law as to whether or not the train was as on the cover -'No!'.
Pitlochry: One train in each direction daily between Edinburgh and Inverness is worked by a pair of Class 158s, and they pass at Pitlochry.
Pitlochry: The Bookshop looks resplendent now that it has been able to renew its shelving with support from supporters including the Highland Main Line Community Rail Partnership and the Enchanted Forest. At the end of 2017 the Bookshop was named Voluntary Fundraising Group of the year.
Inverness: 67007 at Platform 1 in Inverness, after its 186 minute late arrival with the Caledonian Sleeper on 6th January 2018.
Inverness: Contrast in front ends at Inverness in January 2018.
Needlefield Carriage Sidings: Busy scene viewed from Longman Road. 67007 sits with the Caledonian Sleeper stock while 08523 fusses about on the other end. 37603 and 37218 are parked awaiting winter duties while a DRS 66 shunts Tesco/Stobart containers in the background. 6th January 2018.
Bay Horse: A short rake of seven SRPS coaches races through the gathering gloom at Bay Horse behind DB 67004 on 6th January 2018. This was a special working from Tyseley to Bo'ness after the stock had been used by Vintage Trains for their 'Santa Specials'.
Donibristle Platform: Freightliner 66502 passes Donibristle with a Dyce - Millerhill empty Rail Drop Train on 6 January 2019. 66593 was on the rear.
Currie [2nd]: It looks like Currie's old goods shed is being converted into a house; it's certainly getting a makeover. I confess I didn't know it existed until I came across it and took this photo on 6 January 2020. It's some compensation for having all traces of the branch's stations obliterated. I have never been able to take far-flung Currie and Balerno seriously as parts of Edinburgh.
Cricklade: Part of the S&CR's Cricklade extension is this level crossing, now finally laid, seen on 6th January 2022. To get this far, they had to get permission from the Office of the Rail Regulator, just for a farmer's crossing.
Cricklade: A shot of a new drain on the extension to the S&CR, which is under construction in January 2022. The original culvert had collapsed, therefore a new pipe was needed. All in all that cost £10K with diggers and piping etc. All donations welcome.
Cricklade: In fading light on 6th January 2022, a picture taken from the Cricklade extension head of steel showing the demolished Farrfield Lane bridge in the distance. No one owns up to demolishing it and the work took place in the early 1970s. All the relevant authorities deny any knowledge of allowing it so it was done unofficially by a Mr X no doubt, which does not explain the JCBs involved or the lovely coating of tarmac. It is hoped to run passenger trains up to the terminus during 2022.
Cricklade: New (very) track. On a wet and miserable day, I went out with the camera to see how the S&CR's Cricklade extension is getting on and they are doing very well. The head of steel is virtually at the location of the future, the temporary Farrfield Lane station. Looking north on 6th January 2022, the PW ballaster has yet to perform its miracles in levelling the newly laid track.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
News
These are old news items which which occured on this day. This generally lists events after 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | SPT timetable alterations | From the 6th of January the full pre-dispute timetable will be reinstated with the return of peak expresses at Balloch and Milngavie and the half-hourly daytime Dalmuir-Bellgrove via Yoker trains. Under the terms of the compensation package agreed between ScotRail and SPT for the impact of the special timetable during the dispute, there will also be new peak hour trains at Ayr, Barrhead, Busby and East Kilbride. A half-hourly service will be introduced to Wishaw, Carluke and Lanark by diverting the hourly electric train via Hamilton that until January 2002 ran to Coatbridge Central (which will however regain Argyle Line services in the evening and morning peak - and after the evening peak the Motherwell-Cumbernauld service will run until 2126/2159). So as to avoid reversal at Motherwell, most of the new trains to/from Lanark will run via and call at Holytown, providing a direct Hamilton-Lanark service. Prior to 6 January the Motherwell-Wishaw via Holytown route was "served" only by the 0643 Motherwell-Lanark and at the Mossend east-to-south curve by the 1721 Edinburgh-Shotts-Motherwell. The last regular service was the Lanarkshire diesel "Green Trains" which ceased in 1974 on the electrification of the West Coast Main Line. |
| 2005 | Borders rail link campaign rally [BBC News] | Campaigners urge the Scottish Executive to re-open a Borders rail link which was closed in 1969. |
| 2006 | Edinburgh Waverley Station on track for redevelopment in the New Year [Network Rail] | [Press release date: 19/12/2005] Passengers using Edinburgh Waverley station will see the £150 million investment in the Scottish station get underway in the New Year. Two major contracts worth £53 million have been awarded by Network Rail as part of phase one of the redevelopment which will see improvements to the station, platforms, track and signalling. More in Word Document linked to below. RAILSCOT Comment: There will be two platforms at the Balmoral side opposite Platforms 1/19 and one at the Klondyke opposite Platform 11. Platform 5 will be reinstated at the East End. At Haymarket a bay platform in the carpark will be used to turn trains round during 2007 while the western throat of Waverley is being remodelled. A separate contract will cover the provision of lifts and escalators at the Waverley Steps during 2006.. |
| 2007 | Derailment continues to affect Waverley rail services [Scotsman] | TRAIN services from Waverley Station will continue to be disrupted until Monday as investigators probe how three slow-moving, empty coaches came to be derailed. |
| 2007 | Fast track to rail bosses [Scotsman] | RAIL users have been invited to put their questions to the bosses face to face. First ScotRail are holding a "meet the managers" session on Thursday January 18, 4.30-6.30pm at Waverley. |
| 2007 | Rail firm fined for performance [BBC News] | First ScotRail receives fines totalling almost £500,000 from Transport Scotland as performance falls. |
| 2007 | Train disruption set to continue [BBC News] | Rail passengers in Edinburgh face disruption at the weekend after a derailment at Waverley Station. |
| 2009 | Rail reopening works accelerated [BBC News Article] | Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson promises to speed up the timetable for reopening the Waverley line. |
| 2009 | Warning over ^clean^ power plans [BBC News Article] | New power stations should not be approved without guarantees carbon capture technology will work, government advisers say. |
| 2010 | Samaritans and NR join forces to reduce suicide on the railways [Network Rail] | Samaritans and Network Rail today announce a new five-year partnership to reduce the number of suicides on the railways. The project will be delivered through training for rail staff in dealing with potential suicides and the aftermath of a suicide, partnering with mental health, social and other services in the local community, national communications campaigns, and ensuring responsible reporting of suicides in the media |
| 2011 | Beamish purchases ^Dunrobin^ [Beamish Transport News] | We are delighted to announce that after over 12 months of work and discussion we have agreed to purchase Dunrobin, the Sharp Stewart 0-4-4T built in 1895 for the Duke of Sutherland to use to haul his private train over Highland Railway lines (of which company he was a director). |
| 2011 | Honeymoon by train for Dumbarton rail crash hero [Lennox Herald] | A TRAIN driver hailed a hero after a horror rail crash is getting married this summer to the woman who was his lifeline. |
| 2012 | Llangollen Railway line extension to Corwen approaches half way mark [BBC News] | Work to restore a rail line to a Denbighshire town is approaching the half-way mark, say enthusiasts. Llangollen Railway is extending its line to Corwen and enthusiasts say track laying is going well with the route already cleared and fenced off. People officially walked the two-mile (3.2km) extension for the last time this week. The next time will be by train when the line opens next year. |
| 2012 | Cars on rails to end 140-mile detour in Wester Ross [BBC News] | Road traffic could be allowed to travel along railway tracks to avoid an area where landslides have closed a road for more than two weeks. Highland Council said it was an option being considered for the section of A890 Lochcarron to Kyle road. In October 1990, traffic was allowed onto the nearby railway line after rockfalls in the same area. The method uses railway sleepers and would end the need for motorists to make a 140 mile (225km) diversion. Network Rail said it was looking at the possibility of allowing traffic onto the line again. |
| 2014 | Repairs to storm-hit Cumbrian rail line ^to take a week^ [BBC News] | Train services in parts of Cumbria face disruption for up to a week after damage caused by recent bad weather. A 200-yard (180m) section of the Cumbria Coast Line at Flimby remains closed after flooding washed away a section of embankment on Friday. Train operator Northern Rail said buses were being used between Carlisle and Workington. [From Mark Bartlett] |
| 2015 | Edinburgh-Glasgow trains face summer of disruption [Scotsman] | COMMUTERS on Scotland’s busiest rail line will suffer six weeks of disruption this summer, in the first big test for ScotRail’s new Dutch operator, Abellio. Part of the main Edinburgh-Glasgow route will be closed from 13 June to 27 July, which coincides with tens of thousands of fans heading for the Open golf at St Andrews. The Winchburgh tunnel in West Lothian is being closed as part of the £750 million electrification of the line to enable faster and longer trains to run. |
| 2015 | Ffestiniog Railway workshops set for major upgrade [Daily Post] | Work to upgrade the oldest operating railway workshops in the world is set to start in the next few weeks. Once the work at Boston Lodge near Porthmadog is completed the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railway (F&WHR) will be able to store all its locomotives under cover for the first time. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2016 | Virgin to by-pass West Coast Rail Line blockage [BBC News] | Virgin Trains has said an hourly rail service between Glasgow and Carlisle will operate from Saturday. The west coast main line has been closed since Storm Frank damaged the Lamington Viaduct in South Lanarkshire. Virgin said trains will run on a shuttle service via Dumfries, with passengers changing at Carlisle to complete their journey. Network Rail has indicated that the work at Lamington could take until the end of January. |
| 2017 | Network Rail and train operators to jointly manage Britain’s rail infrastructure [Global Rail News] | Route-based management teams which include representatives from Network Rail and the train operator will run Britain’s railway in the future under reforms announced by the Transport Secretary today. The changes, which appear less radical than many earlier reports had suggested, will see future franchises adopting alliance structures similar to those used in the South West and Scotland in recent years. Speaking to the BBC, Chris Grayling said Network Rail was too centralised and needed to become a collection of route-based businesses with a local management team that knows the line. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2020 | Glasgow Airport Metro system gets council leader approval [BBC News] | Plans for a metro link for Glasgow Airport have been agreed by council leaders in Glasgow and Renfrewshire. The first phase of the proposed Glasgow Metro would link Paisley Gilmour Street train station and Glasgow airport, before extending further east. The announcement came ahead of a conference on the state of the economy and infrastructure in Glasgow. |
| 2020 | Arran ferry disruption makes national headlines as weather batters coast [Ardrossan Herald] | Island residents and tourists have been left struggling to get to the mainland from Arran as wind and rain battered the west coast of Scotland. |
