This day in history 21 August
Images
Buchanan Street Tunnel East Signal Box: 73120 leaving Buchanan Street tunnel on 10.00 Highland train.
Crossmyloof: Standard Mogul 77017 with a freight at Crossmyloof in the summer of 1957. [Ref query 1038]
Crossmyloof: A Euston - St Enoch sleeper passing through Crossmyloof on 21 August 1957, hauled by Stanier 'Coronation' Pacific no 46230 Duchess of Buccleuch.
Cowlairs Incline: The 10.21 am West Highland train photographed on Cowlairs Bank shortly after leaving Queen Street on 21 August 1957. The train is hauled by Black 5 44973, with V1 67603 banking.
Cowlairs Incline: The 4pm ex-Waverley descending Cowlairs Incline towards Queen Street on 21 August 1957. The locomotive is Haymarket A2 Pacific 60507 Highland Chieftain.
Troon: Black 5 no 45456 brings a train down the straight south from Troon station on 21 August 1959 heading for Ayr.
Lochside: BR Standard class 4 2-6-4T no 80030 takes a Glasgow train through the closed Lochside station in August 1959. Reopened in 1966, this is the present day Lochwinnoch station (name changed in 1985).
Corstorphine [2nd]: The east end of Corstorphine station in the summer of 1959, with Haymarket class D49 no 62743 The Cleveland about to take out the 1.31pm train to Waverley.
Lochside: Corkerhill shed's Standard class 5 4-6-0 no 73123 runs north light engine through Lochside in August 1959.
Lochgreen Junction: Fairburn 2-6-4T no 42194 heads an Ayr - Glasgow train north on 21 August 1959 on the approach to Troon station. Lochgreen Junction and the Troon avoiding line can be seen in the background.
Lochside: 40574 takes a train through Lochside station bound for Glasgow in the summer of 1959. The station had been closed to passenger traffic 4 years earler but was subsequently reopened in 1966. The name Lochside was changed to Lochwinnoch in May 1985.
Lochgreen Junction: Fairburn 2-6-4T no 42131 has just passed Lochgreen Junction, Troon, heading north on 21 August 1959. The train is on what was then the 'down branch line' with the 'main line' (the now closed Troon avoiding line) running off to the left at the junction. The train is the 5.10pm Ayr - Kilmarnock mail & passenger, conveying a through Royal Mail sorting van next to the locomotive. The mail van would be transferred to the rear of the 5.30pm Glasgow St Enoch - Carlisle train at Kilmarnock and, on reaching Carlisle, would be attached to the up 'West Coast Postal'.
Corstorphine [2nd]: Class D49 no 62743 The Cleveland with the 1.31pm service to Waverley about to leave Corstorphine in August 1959. The locomotive was withdrawn from Haymarket shed nine months later, while Corstorphine officially closed to passengers on 1 January 1968. See image [[23470]]
Lochside: Opened by the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway in 1840 as Lochwinnoch, the station was renamed Lochside in 1905 after a second Lochwinnoch station, nearer the town, was opened by the G&SW on the Kilbarchan Loop. This photograph shows Lochside in 1959, some 4 years after closure, with Black 5 4-6-0 no 44721 heading north with a parcels train. The station was subsequently reopened to passengers in June 1966, co-incident with the closure of the Kilbarchan Loop and the 1905 station. Lochside reverted to its original name of Lochwinnoch in May 1985.
Lochside: View south over Lochside station on August 1959 as Black 5 no 44727 passes through with a northbound freight.
Lochside: Fairburn 2-6-4T no 42122 brings a freight north through Lochside station in August 1959.
Lochgreen Junction: A southbound railbus approaching Lochgreen Junction near Troon, in August 1959, on a Kilmarnock - Dalmellington working. The Troon avoiding line can been seen coming in from the left in the background.
Troon: McIntosh 3F 0-6-0 no 57580 with empty mineral wagons heading south at Troon in the summer of 1959.
Edinburgh Waverley: Looking across the Waverley east end bays in August 1959 with Gresley class D49 4-4-0 no 62718 Kinross-Shire about to depart for St Margarets shed, having recently brought in a train off the Waverley route.
Bricklayers Arms: Locomotive lineup at Bricklayers Arms shed, SE London, in August 1961, featuring rebuilt Merchant Navy Pacific no 35030 Elder Dempster Line.
Nine Elms Shed: Rebuilt 'Merchant Navy' Pacific no 35015 Rotterdam Lloyd stands in the shed yard at Nine Elms in August 1961. The locomotive was officially withdrawn from here in February 1964.
Nine Elms Shed: A wet day at Nine Elms in August 1961 sees Billinton E4 radial 0-6-2T no 32473 of 1894 stabled on the south side of the shed yard. Standing behind is relative youngster Wainwright C class 0-6-0 no 31510 of 1904. No 32473 was subsequently preserved on the Bluebell Railway see image [[38400]].
Old Oak Common: Ex-GWR Castle class 4-6-0 no 5036 Lyonshall Castle stands alongside the Old Oak Common coaling stage in August 1961.
Old Oak Common: Ex-GWR Hall class 4-6-0 no 5901 'Hazel Hall' standing alongside Old Oak Common shed in August 1961
Nine Elms Shed: Maunsell 'Schools' class 4-4-0 no 30902 Wellington stands in the shed yard at 70A Nine Elms in August 1961.
Old Oak Common: Castle class 4-6-0 no 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe stands on Old Oak Common shed in August 1961. Withdrawn by BR in December 1963, the locomotive was rescued from Woodham Brothers, Barry, in June 1964 and had been restored to main line running condition at Tyseley by 2008. See image [[31103]]
Old Oak Common: 6978 Haroldstone Hall stands among the ashes at Old Oak Common shed in August 1961.
Willesden Shed: Fowler 3P 2-6-2T no 40010 in the sidings alongside Willesden shed in the summer of 1961.
Nine Elms Shed: The shed yard at Nine Elms on a wet August afternoon in 1961 plays host to a pair of southern region veterans. On the left is 1904 Wainwright C class 0-6-0 no 31510, while alongside is Billinton E4 radial 0-6-2T no 32473 of 1898 vintage. Both locomotives were withdrawn the following year, with the latter now famously preserved on the Bluebell Railway see image [[38400]].
Stewarts Lane: BR Standard Class 2 2-6-2T 84024 alongside Stewarts Lane shed in August 1961.
Willesden Shed: Bletchley based G2 0-8-0 no 48898 stands in the sidings alongside Willesden shed in the summer of 1961.
Bricklayers Arms: SR 'Schools' class 4-4-0 no 30937 Epsom is part of a locomotive lineup at 73B Bricklayers Arms shed in August 1961. Rebuilt Merchant Navy Pacific no 35030 Elder Dempster Line is in the background.
Nine Elms Shed: Wet day at Nine Elms. Locomotives in the shed yard at 70A on 21 August 1961 include E2 0-6-0T no 32102, with the rear end of H class 0-4-4T no 31326 nearest the camera. Both locomotives were withdrawn by BR in October that year.
Nine Elms Shed: Rebuilt Bulleid 'Merchant Navy' Pacific no 35011 General Steam Navigation photographed in the shed yard at Nine Elms in the summer of 1961.
Willesden Shed: Fowler 3P 2-6-2Ts nos 40042 and 40010 stand in Willesden shed sidings in August 1961. Both had been officially withdrawn from 1A the previous month.
Ryde St John's Road: Class O2 0-4-4T IoW No.16 'Ventnor' at Ryde St John's Road station in August 1963.
Banff: View at Banff in 1963, with Standard Class 2MT 2-6-0 78054 shunting an interesting looking carriage into the train shed. I'm afraid my rolling stock knowledge is not up to knowing its provenance.
Ventnor: A 1963 view of Ventnor station with a Ryde train departing with O2, No. 27 Merstone in charge.
Carlisle: Holiday special. Black 5 no 44671 at Carlisle platform 1 on 21 August 1965 with the summer Saturday 8.15am Morecambe Promenade - Glasgow Central.
St Leonards Bridge Junction: HR 103 approaching Perth from the south with the preserved Caledonian coaches on 21 August 1965 on its way to Inverness for the Highland Railway Centenary celebrations.
Cowlairs West Junction: J38 0-6-0 65905 takes a brake van past Cowlairs West junction in August 1965. Cowlairs Works can be made out in the background.
Luncarty: Highland 103 Jones Goods special at Luncarty heading north.
Carlisle: The 0930 London St Pancras - Glasgow approaching Carlisle on 21 August 1965. Holbeck Jubilee 45626 Seychelles has brought the train from Leeds City via the Settle & Carlisle line.
Blair Atholl: Jones Goods at Blair Atholl with Inverness train.
Blair Atholl: Jones Goods heading for Inverness with old shed in the background.
Carrbridge: Preserved ex-Highland Railway Jones Goods no 103 is developing a noticeable hot spot on its smokebox door as it waits at Carrbridge station with a special on 21 August 1965.
Carrbridge: Jones Goods waits for the late running Edinburgh train to cross at Carrbridge in 1965.
Carlisle: A thoroughly wet and miserable morning at Carlisle on 21 August 1965 as Warrington (Dallam) Black 5 no 45375 brings the 6am Warrington - Carlisle stopping train into the south end of the station.
Killiecrankie Tunnel: The Jones Goods on Klliecarankie viaduct about to enter the tunnel in August 1965. The train is heading for Inverness and consists of the two preserved ex-Caledonian Railway carriages.
Blair Atholl: HR103 Jones Goods makes a photostop at Blair Atholl on its way from Perth to Inverness on 21 August 1965 in connection with the Highland Railway Centenary.
Glasgow Central: An unusual visitor to Glasgow Central in August 1965 was Leeds Neville Hill A1 60154 'Bon Accord', seen after arrival with the Friday-only 9.05pm overnight service from St Pancras.
Murthly: HR103 standing in the rain at Murthly on 21 August 1965. The locomotive and preserved Caledonian coaches were heading north to Inverness to participate in the Highland Railway Centenary celebrations.
Glasgow St Enoch: A surprising late addition to Corkerhill shed's allocation was Standard Class 2 2-6-0 78026, seen here leaving St Enoch on a suburban service in 1965. Several of these engines were to be found elsewhere in Scotland, but I think this may have been the only one that would have found use on a service from one of Glasgow's main line stations.
Carlisle Kingmoor Shed: Holbeck Jubilee 4-6-0 no 45626 Seychelles stands in front of an unidentified type 2 diesel locomotive on Kingmoor shed. The photograph is thought to have been taken on 21 August 1965 with the Jubilee having worked in from Leeds on the 9.30am St Pancras - Glasgow Central.
Pitlochry: Preserved ex-Highland Railway Jones Goods 4-6-0 no 103 receives more than a few admiring glances at Pitlochry on 21 August 1965. The locomotive was on its way to Inverness to participate in the Highland Railway Centenary celebrations.
New Holland Pier: A class 114 DMU runs onto the pier at New Holland to connect with the Hull ferry. Taken through the timbers of the pier from a ferry on Friday 21st August 1970.
New Holland Town: A class 114 DMU at New Holland Town station in August 1970 about to set off for Cleethorpes, having connected with the ferry from Hull.
Prospect Hill Junction: View south over Prospect Hill Junction, Whitby, on 21 August 1971 with West Cliff station behind the camera. On the left is the former coast route to Scarborough while running off to the right is the steeply graded (1 in 50) connection down to Bog Hall Junction and Whitby Town station. The Whitby Town - West Cliff - Scarborough service had been withdrawn more than six years earlier in March 1965. See image [[28894]]
Niddrie South Junction: A type 2 emerges from the early morning mist as it leaves the north end of Millerhill yard with a mixed freight in August 1971. The train has just passed one of the yards long disused water towers as it takes the left fork at Niddrie South Junction and heads for the westbound sub.
Prospect Hill Junction: Just beyond Prospect Hill Junction, with Whitby West Cliff station behind the camera, looking south on 21 August 1971. See image [[32465]]. On the left the line to Scarborough heads out onto Larpool Viaduct in the background. On the right the line to Whitby Town curves down towards Bog Hall Junction, passing below the viaduct before running along the north shore of the Esk to reach Town station.
Prospect Hill Junction: Six years after closure, the track layout at Prospect Hill Junction appears to be intact but the signal box is very much the worse for wear! View looking north from an accommodation bridge near Airy Hill Farm towards the bridge carrying the A171 Middlesbrough to Whitby road over the line. The connecting chord to the Esk Valley line is on the left. 21st August 1971.
Monktonhall Colliery: 5303 with loaded coal hoppers for Cockenzie power station at Monktonhall Colliery in August 1971.
Monktonhall Colliery: 5304 stands at Monktonhall Colliery in August 1971 with a loaded coal train destined for Cockenzie power station. View looking northwest across the south end of Millerhill yard.
Bw Rheine (Rheine MPD): DB Class 043 2-10-0 no. 043 315-1 stands at the refuelling point at Rheine shed in August 1977. The loco being oil fired had a fuel pipe connected to the tender and when filled it drew forward and used the water crane. Line built 1911-19.
Grosmont: 55009 Alycidon stands at Grosmont station on 21 August 1982. After handover to the Deltic Preservation Society at Doncaster Works the previous day see image [[19760]] the Deltic is about to haul the first train of its preservation career.
Grosmont: The first 2 locomotives obtained by the Deltic Preservation Society, 55009 Alycidon and 55019 Royal Highland Fusilier, make their preservation debuts at Grosmont on 21 August 1982.
Mendip Vale: Lord Fisher, a Barclay 10' 0-4-0ST with a PW train, photographed at the Mendip Vale terminus of the East Somerset Railway on 21 August 1983
Grosmont: A lineup in the sidings at Grosmont on 21 August 1984 includes Warship D821 Greyhound and Clayton D8568 (in 'Ribble Cement' livery).
Grosmont Shed: Hymek D7029 accelerates south from Grosmont tunnel on 21 August 1984 with a train for Pickering, passing 69023, 45428 and 62005 standing on shed.
Grosmont: Deltics D9019 Royal Highland Fusilier & 55009 Alicydon stabled in the sidings to the south of Grosmont Shed on 21 August 1984
Grosmont: Bulleid West Country light Pacific no 34010 Sidmouth standing alongside Grosmont shed in 1984, some two years after rescue from Woodham's scrapyard. The locomotive was later purchased by Southern Locomotives Ltd and moved to Sellindge in Kent in 1997. As of early 2021 it is in the early stages of restoration with its boiler and leading bogie currently being overhauled to replace those on presently operational sister engines. Once its frames and running gear are restored it will receive the then overhauled boiler and leading bogie taken from the other loco's.
Grosmont Tunnels: 69023 Joem stands alongside Grosmont shed on 21 August 1984. The level crossing at Grosmont station can be seen in the background on the north side of the tunnel.
Purton: 6000 King George V, northbound at Purton station on the Swindon - Gloucester line on 21 August 1985. Star of the GWR 150 celebrations. (The 175 'do' is now rapidly approaching.)
Purton: During 1985, BR ran a series of Specials from Gloucester and Swindon to celebrate the 150 years of the GWR. BR Standard Class 4MT 4-6-0 75069 is southbound at Purton on 21 August.
Dalmeny: Southbound Class 150 Sprinter slows for the stop at Dalmeny on 21 August 2004
Dalmeny: An Aberdeen express passes a recessed Fife circle Class 150 at Dalmeny on 21 August 2004.
East Kilbride: Passengers disembarking from the 09.48 Glasgow Central - East Kilbride train, see here on the morning of 21 August 2006 shortly after arrival at the terminus.
East Kilbride: A train for Glasgow Central about to depart from East Kilbride in August 2006.
East Kilbride: A DMU service from Glasgow Central about to draw to a halt at East Kilbride terminus on 21 August 2006.
East Kilbride: The single-platform terminus at East Kilbride looking west along Torrance Road on a Monday morning in August 2006. The buffer stops are just off picture to the right, while to the left is the large station car park. The 10.26 service, calling all stations to Glasgow Central, is currently boarding.
Leith South Yard: 67022 with an engineers train being loaded with building materials at a rather overgrown Leith South yard on 21 August 2007. View is northwest towards the docks. The materials were for use on the improvement works being carried out at Waverley at that time.
Glasgow Central: A smart looking 43303 at Glasgow Central platform 1 on 21 August 2008 waiting to leave with the 0900 CrossCountry service to Penzance. The unit has recently returned to service following major re-engineering and refurbisment work carried out by Brush Traction.
Glasgow Central: 43301 at Glasgow Central Platform 1 on 21 August waiting to form the 0900 CrossCountry service to Penzance looking fresh after a visit to Brush Traction for modernisation
Glasgow Central: CrossCountry HST 43301 leading the 0640 Dunbar to Glasgow Central service resplendent in new livery after re-engineering and refurbishment by Brush Traction.
Dunkeld and Birnam: An Inverness to Edinburgh service approaches Dunkeld in August 2007.
Oceanside: Pictured leading the northbound Pacific Surfliner train #579 into Oceanside Transit Center is AMTRAK cab car unit #6907. The train left San Diego at 13:25 and was scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles at 16:05. The day when the sun DIDN'T shine in Southern California is Friday, 21 August, 2009.
Preston (Ribble Branch): Barclay 0-6-0 DH shunter 615/1977 worked at various North East collieries from new until withdrawal in 2004 when it moved to the Tanfield Railway See image [[9453]]. At 52 tons it was too big for the Tanfield but was ideal for moving 1000 ton tanker trains and so it has been loaned to the RSR where it arrived in 2007. It is seen here alongside the river heading for the swing bridge and unloading point.
Preston (Ribble Branch): Commercial freight on a preserved railway as seven loaded bitumen tankers (one rake of two batches) are taken down the Ribble branch from the exchange sidings. On this occasion Barclay 0-6-0 shunter 615/1977, on loan from the Tanfield Railway, is the motive power for the thrice weekly freight. After 44 years of service the bitumen tankers seen here were finally replaced by new vehicles in late 2010 See image [[32771]].
Perth: A 158 Alphaline set with First ScotRail vinyls recently arrived at Perth platform 5 on 21 August 2009.
Perth: 66412 arriving at Perth for a crew change with the 1320 Inverness to Grangemouth Tesco Stobart container service. The locomotive is in Malcolm Logistics livery.
Strand Road Exchange Sidings: 66133 draws its train of empty bitumen tankers out of the exchange sidings at Preston Dock and is off back to Lindsey Refinery near Immingham. The loaded tanks it has just delivered will be taken to the unloading siding by the RSR shunter. See image [[25133]]
Wemyss Castle: The former Wemyss Castle station is almost entirely hemmed in by subsequent building, and this partial view of the frontage is all that's possible in August 2010. Although called Wemyss Castle it was right in the middle of East Wemyss and the only station in the village; the castle is a mile and a half away and just outside West Wemyss. There was a West Wemyss station on the same line, but it was no nearer West Wemyss village and you had to go through the larger Coaltown of Wemyss to get there...
Dysart: The course of the 'Dubbie Shunt' can just be made out on the far right as 170 476 heads south at speed, about to pass the site of Dysart station in August 2010. This short branch served the Frances Colliery, which was known locally as 'The Dubbie' after a sea-facing brae - which was ruined by the sinking of the pit!
East Wemyss [Tram]: 78 years since it last saw a 'car' this East Wemyss relic of the Kirkcaldy to Leven tramway is still known as 'The Car Shed' and the name is shown on that bus stop. Non-urban tramways tended to close earlier than their city counterparts - presumably this was because of bus competition on roads where the bus could actually be quicker.
Burscough Junction: View along the disused but now tidied-up platform at Burscough Jct on 21 August 2010. The view is from slightly further north than the photograph 24 years earlier see image [[38989]]. Class 142s are often still seen on the Preston - Ormskirk shuttle, however on the day in question I was much too involved in my work to photograph passing trains! [Editor's note: Alongside Burscough Junction station stands a well known local hostelry named 'The Junction Hotel.']
Cowdenbeath: The first outing of the SRPS 'Forth Circle' railtour of 21 August 2011. The train is seen here between Lumphinnans and Cowdenbeath, hauled by Black 5 no 45231.
Aberdour: The second circuit of the day for the SRPS Forth Circle railtour, seen entering Aberdour station on 21 August with 45231 at the helm.
Dunfermline Queen Margaret: 45231 Sherwood Forester drifts down through Dunfermline Queen Margaret with the SRPS 'Forth Circular' second run on Sunday 21st August 2011.
Culross [2nd]: The first 'Forth Circle' of the day on 21 August 2011, hauled by 45231, by the shores of the Forth near Culross.
Summerlee Heritage Centre: On display in August 2012 in the yard at Summerlee Museum. Sentinel locomotive Robin, a 4 wheel vertical-boilered loco with vertical cylinders and geared transmission - new to R.B. Tennent Ltd., Whifflet Foundry, Coatbridge, in 1957. They had three other similar locos. See image [[7973]]
Summerlee Heritage Centre: A bit simpler than the new Edinburgh trams - driver's position on Lanarkshire Tramways no 53 on 21 August 2012 at Summerlee Museum. See image [[10797]]
Farington Junction: The two HNRC Class 20s (20311 and 20314) now outshopped in HNRC Orange worked from Washwood Heath to Kilmarnock as 5Z20 on 21 August 2012 with two barrier coaches. They were seen passing Farington Junction at 1817 hrs some 80 minutes late after a minor hiccup earlier in their journey.
Summerlee Heritage Centre: Glasgow Corporation tram 1017, originally Paisley & District double decker No. 17, cut down to work the Duntocher service (low bridge) and latterly driver training car. The tram is on display at Summerlee Heritage Museum, Coatbridge.
Coatbridge Central: The main building at Coatbridge Central is still with us - just. Scene on 21 August 2012. See image [[27480]]
Summerlee Heritage Centre: Lurking at the rear of the tram shed at Summerlee in August 2012 is ex-Glasgow Corporation 'Coronation' tram no 1245, built in 1939 and withdrawn on 19 June 1962. See image [[38853]]
Barton and Broughton: DRS 20308 and 20303, taking two nuclear flasks from Crewe to Sellafield with a load for reprocessing, seen on the WCML just north of Barton and Broughton station on 21 August 2013. The guard is presumably enjoying the forward view from the driver's seat of 20303.
Preston (Ribble Branch): Ribble Rail Sentinel Enterprise threads its way along the Ribble branch to the Lanfina terminal on 21 August with the first half of the rake of fourteen tanks that have just arrived at the Strand Road Exchange Sidings from Lindsey Refinery.
Barton and Broughton: With 1T57 (15 Guinea) reporting number on the smokebox, and other embellishments such as the white pipework, 45231 makes a fine sight sweeping found the curve north of Barton and Broughton with the penultimate Fellsman of 2013.
Preston (Ribble Branch): Tripping the tanks. Ribble Rail Sentinel 4wDM Enterprise crosses Lockside Rd on Preston Docks with loaded bitumen tanks for the Lanfina Depot, a short distance to the right of the crossing. See image [[23760]]. The drive chains on this small but powerful loco can be seen between the wheels.
Bugbrooke: A southbound Virgin Pendolino service passing Bugbrooke, Northants, on the WCML between Weedon and Blisworth, on 21 August 2014.
Bugbrooke: A Virgin Voyager forming the 1510 London Euston - Chester speeds through the Northamptonshire countryside near Bugbrooke on 21 August heading for its penultimate stop at Crewe.
Bargeddie: 156510 leaves the fully wired Bargeddie station on 21 August 2014 and passes under the completed A752 road bridge heading toward Whifflet. See image [[47157]]
Kirkwood: 156510 passes 156456 outside a partially wired Kirkwood station on 21st August 2014.
Kirkwood: With just over a month to go before it is due to be replaced by an Electric Multiple Unit, 156456 draws into Kirkwood station on 21st August 2014 with a Glasgow Central to Whifflet service.
Istanbul, Taskin Square: Istanbul's only revived heritage tram provides a one-stop shuttle from Taksin Square on 21 August 2014.
Eskbank: The first of the day's ScotRail 'Borders Line Steam Special' trips runs south between Eskbank station and Hardengreen Viaduct on Sunday 21 August 2016 on its way to Tweedbank. Locomotive in charge is preserved ex-LMS 4-6-0 no 46100 Royal Scot.
Falahill Summit: 158701 nears Falahill Summit with the 16.11 from Edinburgh to Tweedbank.
Falahill Summit: Southbound 46100 'Royal Scot' just north of Falahill Summit on 21 August 2016 with the second ScotRail 'Borders Line Steam Special' of the day to Tweedbank.
Loddington Goods: A microcosm of the tragedy of closure - someone once spent a lot of time shaping this floor tile to fit around a pipe at Loddington. No doubt it gave years of good service.
RNSD Lathalmond: Setting out on a short brakevan tour at Lathalmond ...
Loddington Goods: Looking away from Kettering see image [[41276]], it is hard to believe that the trackbed is to the right; the path to the left may have been a temporary railway during construction. Enjoy the view.
Eskbank: 67009 being dragged south on the Borders Railway shortly after passing through Eskbank station in August 2016 on the rear of a special. Smoke and steam courtesy of 46100 Royal Scot on the front of the train.
RNSD Lathalmond: Open day at the Scottish Vintage Bus Museum at Lathalmond bus. View of the Hunslet from the brakevan.
[Edinburgh]: Gresley plaque; this new plaque at 32 Dublin Street Edinburgh was unveiled in June.
Galabank Junction: No. 46100 Royal Scot is seen coasting downhill towards Stow in August 2017 having just entered the double track section at Galabank Junction. I know it's trivial, but to my eye the 6 and the 0s on the cabside aren't rendered in the proper Gill Sans font and just look wrong.
Bay Horse: Seven 'Fellsman' excursions ran in 2018, on a fortnightly basis. Fire risk caused some disruption with one train Class 37 hauled throughout and many others with diesel support. Steam haulage was entirely by Jubilee Class 4-6-0s with 45690 'Leander' and 45699 'Galatea' sharing honours with three appearances each. The last train ran on 21st August 2018, without diesel support after the recent rains. 45699 is seen here passing Bay Horse on the outward leg. See image [[60656]] for the 2017 Fellsman league table.
Carstairs: An Ayr to Edinburgh service passing through Carstairs on 21st August 2018.
Wishaw: A Glasgow Central to Lanark service approaching Wishaw on 21st August 2018.
Wishaw: Wishaw station buildings, photographed on 21st August 2018.
Maghull North: The station building at the new Maghull North as seen from the car park on 21 August 2018. The platforms are below to the right and are accessed from the footbridge and lifts, the towers of which are to the right of the building.
Carstairs: 1M15 Glasgow Central to London Euston passing through Carstairs on 21st August 2018. Photography here is made easier by a 50mph speed restriction starting at the platform end.
Wishaw: A Lanark to Glasgow Central service departing from Wishaw on 21st August 2018
Maghull North: Looking north towards Town Green from the footbridge at Maghull North on 21 August 2018. Merseyside's newest station was officially opened 4 weeks earlier. See image [[65288]]
Maghull North: looking south along platform 1 at the new Maghull North station on 21 August 2018. The unit 508114 is on an Ormskirk to Liverpool Central working. Forward planning by Merseyrail has seen the station built at the same time as the housing development that has started in the area.
Elgin: A Class 158 DMU at Elgin forming the 13:30 to Aberdeen on 21st August 2018.
Maghull: A six car set gets away from Maghull on 21 August 2018 whilst working an evening service from Ormskirk to Liverpool.
River Dulnain Viaduct: Until the 'Rails to Grantown' project gets under-way, this is the eastern limit of the Strathspey Railway track, just bridging the River Dulnain.
Inverness: Emblem of the Highland Railway Company at Inverness station.
Carstairs: GBRf 66716 sits in the Up Loop at Carstairs on a Mossend to Carlisle New Yard train of Castle Cement tanks on 21st August 2018.
Thrumster: A plaque was unveiled at Thrumster on the 21st of August to celebrate an award from the National Railway Heritage Awards for the former station's restoration. Andy Savage, Director of the Railway Heritage Trust, is on the left and John Gunn, of award sponsors Stagecoach, is on the right. NRHA
Thrumster: Virtually a recreation of the opening photograph of Thrumster station. This photograph was taken on the occasion of a plaque unveiling on 21 August 2018. The Yarrows Heritage Trust was awarded the Stagecoach Volunteers Award for their restoration of the near derelict station. NRHA
Haymarket: The temporary interloper Class 365s have received mixed reviews, but they have added a bit of variety and they are nice and long. A Glasgow service enters Haymarket on 21 August 2018. Surely you can survive without WiFi for 40-odd minutes?
Inverness: Trains at Inverness on 21st August 2018. The Class 170 is not at a platform. To its right another DMU formed the 15:29 service to Laurencekirk.
Maghull: Empty stock from Ormskirk to Kirkdale passes Maghull on 21 August 2018. The 15 minute interval service had just stopped for the evening and this unit was returning to the depot for the night.
Livingston South: Livingston South station was substantially rebuilt in ten days over Easter 2018. On 21 August it is not looking quite as raw as it did when I visited back in April, but is still not complete. Lift towers have yet to be installed and the completion date has been put back to February 2019. A Glasgow semi-fast service calls.
West Calder: The recently installed lift towers at West Calder are hard to miss. A Glasgow Central to Edinburgh stopping service calls on 21 August 2018.
Maghull: A view across the access road and turning circle at Maghull station on the evening of 21 August 2018. The wonderful floral displays are by a local volunteer group however their efforts don't stop there and the windows of the station building contain contemporary paintings by one of the group. The very friendly Merseyrail staff at the station during my visit were at pains to highlight the volunteers efforts.
Cleland: The 1227 Edinburgh to Glasgow Central stopping service should have called at Cleland but unfortunately for the driver he forgot to stop and missed the short platform by some 200 yards. In the words of the conductor 'not a good day and an afternoon of paper work'.
West Calder: I believe March 2019 is the planned date (or should I say current planned date) for the introduction of electric services on the Shotts line. Meanwhile the 158s seem to have substantially retreated leaving services mostly in the hands of 156s again. A semi-fast service calls at West Calder on 21 August after depositing one passenger (me).
Stirling: A Dunblane service calls at Stirling on 21 August 2019. I'm not quite sure why this class has one eyebrow raised; it certainly doesn't help its looks.
Eastleigh: 66701, having picked up its load, is departing the PW sidings at Eastleigh on 21st August 2019.
Larbert: A HST for Glasgow Queen Street passes the disused Larbert North and on through the station on 21 August 2019.
Larbert: The place is Larbert on 21 August 2019 and DRS 66423 takes some sort of freight from somewhere to somewhere else. The somewhere else is presumably north of the somewhere.
Leeds: 331108 in service at Leeds on 21st August 2019.
Eastleigh: 08511 shuttling around Eastleigh on marshalling duties on 21st August 2019.
Wakefield Westgate: The bright interior of 331108 calling at Wakefield on a Leeds to Doncaster service on 21st August 2019.
Eastleigh: 66701 departing the Eastleigh ballast sidings and heading for the PW sidings on 21st August 2019. 66701 has been with GBRf since it was new into service in March 2001.
Carlisle: 57309 'Pride of Crewe' at Carlisle in August 2019, alongside RHTT tanks waiting for autumn.
Larbert: A Dunblane to Edinburgh service pulls into Larbert on 21 August 2019. The first class was at the front so I had to walk the length of the train for the privilege of sitting in a chair notoriously harder than those in standard class.
Eastleigh: 66506 departing Eastleigh station southbound after stopping for a crew change on 21st August 2019.
Stirling North Junction: Stirling North is one of four Category A listed signal boxes in Scotland. Stirling Middle is another and it is listed along with the station building. Stirling North's last working semaphore was taken away fairly recently but the box still seems to have some vague (to me) function.
Eastleigh: Balfour Beatty PW machine DR 75 411 alongside Platform 3 at Eastleigh on 21st August 2019.
Stirling: A Glasgow to Aberdeen service pulls out of Stirling on 21 August 2019. Notice the grudgingly small loco number on the front; this seems to be standard.
Waterside Level Crossing: The gates at Waterside were just closing as I approached so I came across this Alloa service by luck (RTT is of course only for nerds). I think the last time I stood here I was among weeds and rusty rails and the line reopening was an aspiration. Now the passenger service has been established for 11 years and is electrified. Where was I in between?
Eastleigh: 66525 stopped for a northbound crew change at Eastleigh station on 21st August 2019.
Caledonian Road and Barnsbury: The Caledonian Road entrance to Caledonian Road & Barnsbury on 21st August 2020. The original station, opened in 1852 as simply Barnsbury, was on the opposite side of the bridge but re-sited by the North London Railway in 1870 with an entrance at the east end on Roman Way. Despite not having an entrance on Caledonian Road, it was renamed Caledonian Road & Barnsbury in 1893. The Roman Way entrance was in the grand style of the NLR. In the late 1960s, when the line was saved from closure, the Roman Way entrance, having survived with unrepaired World War Two 'Blitz' damage, was demolished and this new one built so that the station finally bears resemblance to its name. However, it is reached via a long inclined pedestrian walkway from the platforms that were rebuilt at the same time and have been rebuilt again during the London Overground era.
Gospel Oak: 378202, with a London Overground service to Stratford, arriving at Gospel Oak on 21st August 2020.
Caledonian Road and Barnsbury: 378223, with a London Overground short working to Gunnersbury, arriving at Caledonian Road & Barnsbury station on the former North London Railway, on 21st August 2020. This is the first time I can recall a train not going the final two stops to Richmond. (As a footnote, Caledonia is the Roman name for Scotland and in the Middle Ages an asylum for Scottish servicemen was set up here and the road leading to it, now a major traffic artery, was quite logically called Caledonian Road. The site of the asylum is now rather grimly occupied by Pentonville Prison, a short distance north up the road from this station.)
Gospel Oak: The street level entrance to Gospel Oak, as rebuilt in 1955 by BR London Midland Region and part of London Overground since 2007, on 21st August 2020. The platforms are on a high embankment and there are many steps. For decades passengers grew weary climbing these but relief came at last in recent years when the platforms were lengthened across the road bridge (on right) and lifts installed.
Baillieston: 60163 'Tornado' taking the 'Clyde Aberdonian' through Bailieston on 21st August 2021.
Invergowrie: 'Tornado' taking water at Invergowrie during the outbound 'Aberdonian' on 21st August 2021. Photo taken from public land behind the fence - but still up close and personal!
Baillieston: 320317 passing through Baillieston on the dreich Saturday morning of 21st August 2021. This train preceded 'Tornado' and caused much concern to the six or so in the station who thought they'd missed the main event!
Baillieston: 60163 'Tornado' easing the 'Clyde Aberdonian' through Bailieston on 21st August 2021.
Blackford: 60163 Tornado heads for Aberdeen near Blackford on 21st August 2021. Running to time through light rain and a multitude of corn flies.
Dundee: There was a bit of wheel slippage from 'Tornado' as she left Dundee and negotiated the damp rails around the tunnel on 21st September 2021. This was the outbound leg of the 'Aberdonian' from Edinburgh,
Sundsvalls Centralstation: The sweeping walkway leads to the integrated bus station below the level of the railway. The main station building was constructed in 1925 to drawings by SJ's then Head Architect Folke Zettervall. The station was bought by the local authority property company in 2017 from the state-owned railway property company, Jernhusen, in order to develop this public transport hub. Sundsvall is the capital of Västernorrland (Western Norrland) county yet strangely lies on the east coast of Sweden. The explanation is that Öster (Eastern) Norrland county lay in the Grand Duchy of Finland when it was part of the Swedish Kingdom.
Croston: On Sunday there are no trains on the Preston to Ormskirk line and the Orange Army often take advantage of this and carry out track maintenance. In this case some rails were being recovered from the Preston side of Croston and moved to the station to be craned onto a lorry. The view of the latter operation was taken from the road bridge looking south over the station on 21 August 2022.
Sundsvalls Centralstation: The exterior of the rather church-like main waiting hall is described as having influences of Jugend (Art Noveau) and Swedish National-Romantic. The level crossing allowing access to the platforms across several tracks seems to have been fairly typical of Swedish station design until recent decades. The modern concept is to direct passengers through subways; only the stations with the largest flows have moving staircases and lifts.
Events
Events from the chronology which occured on this day. This generally lists events before 1995, the creation of the website.
| Year | Companies | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1851 | Dowlais Railway | Opened from Dowlais Iron Works main gate and furnaces to the Taff Vale Railway. An inclined plane was worked by steam engine and the Dowlais end worked by locomotives. |
| 1855 | Blairgowrie Branch (Scottish Midland Junction Railway) | Line opened to goods from Coupar Angus to Blairgowrie. |
| 1875 | Sirhowy Tramroad, London and North Western Railway | Date of retrospective working agreement. |
| 1894 | Blane Valley Railway | Blanefield station rebuilt with passing loop, an island platform and a larger goods yard. Signal box opened. |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Rail Passengers Committee meeting in Fort William | Public meeting of the Rail Passengers Committee meeting in the Milton Hotel, Fort William. Meeting starts at 09:30 and finishes at 16:00. |
| 2006 | Business chiefs call for new rail station on city outskirts [Scotsman] | BUSINESS chiefs today called for a major railway station to be built on the outskirts of Edinburgh following the collapse of proposals to redevelop Waverley. |
| 2006 | New directors named for transport agency [Scotsman] | TRANSPORT Scotland, the agency behind the new Dalkeith bypass and a proposed rail link to Edinburgh Airport, has appointed two new non-executive directors. |
| 2007 | Rail freight grant [Scottish Executive] | Ministers continue to fund scheme taking lorries off road between Grangemouth and Aberdeen. |
| 2008 | Atomic body backs rail proposal [BBC News Article] | A group campaigning for the modernisation of a Highlands railway is welcoming findings of the UKAEA. |
| 2008 | Access boost for train stations [BBC News Article] | Five more railway stations in Scotland are set to undergo improvements to aid disabled access. |
| 2009 | High Level Bridge is a winner [Network Rail Article] | An enormously impressive level of engineering professionalism, from original research into the fatigue performance of cast-iron, down to the restoration of the original lamp standards^; these were the comments of the jurors at Europa Nostra who awarded the £40m restoration of the High Level Bridge a grand prize for conservation this year. |
| 2010 | Colonel Michael H Cobb | Colonel Michael Cobb, who has died aged 93, was a regular Army officer who in retirement produced the definitive historical atlas of the railways of Great Britain, becoming on the strength of it the oldest person ever to receive a PhD from Cambridge University, at the age of 91. |
| 2011 | A blueprint for a new British railway [Telegraph] | Gloom descended as commuters found that their fares would be rising by 8 per cent in January. This followed hot on the heels of news from the Office of Rail Regulation that overcrowding was getting worse – hardly a surprise for most passengers given that rail use has increased by almost half in the past decade and there are barely any extra services |
| 2012 | FirstGroup^s £13bn West Coast rail bid faces probe by MPs [Telegraph] | Transport ministers and executives at FirstGroup and Virgin Rail are expected to be called before two parliamentary committees amid growing controversy over the bid for the West Coast rail franchise. |
| 2013 | Train nuclear transfers attacked [Press and Journal] | Campaigners claim nuclear shipments which trundled through the Highlands by train breaks the Scottish Government’s own policy that nuclear waste should be dealt with as close as possible to the site where it was produced. |
| 2013 | Rail Electrification Programme - EGIP [Transport Scotland] | EGIP has delivered a number of key infrastructure and service improvements, including the electrification of Haymarket Tunnel and new services introduced on the Edinburgh Glasgow via Shotts and Carstairs lines. The £27 million redevelopment of Haymarket Station is expected to open to the public in December 2013 and route clearance works in advance of the electrification of the Edinburgh Glasgow and Stirling-Alloa-Dunblane lines are well underway. [From Richard Buckby] |
| 2013 | Network Rail creates super signalling centre in York [The Press] | What was once two men working for eight hours a day in a confined space operating 35 levers is to become cutting-edge rail signalling technology. Over the next 20 years, York’s railway network will benefit from a £2.1 billion investment from Network Rail to create a super signalling centre. York will become one of 14 cities across the country to house a state of the art Route Operating Centre (ROC). The building is due for completion next March, but the signalling equipment will be installed gradually over the next 20 years. |
| 2013 | First Minister Alex Salmond announces tourist trains for Borders Railway [Southern Reporter] | First Minister Alex Salmond has announced that discussions are underway to secure symbolic trains to attract more tourists to use the Borders Railway. Speaking from Hawick as part of the Scottish Government’s summer cabinet programme, Mr Salmond announced that the initiative would begin as soon as the line opened, with plans already underway to secure a famous steam train for the launch ceremony. |
| 2015 | Snaefell Mountain Railway^s 120th anniversary marked [BBC News] | A series of celebrations is planned to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Snaefell Mountain Railway on the Isle of Man on Thursday. The railway carries passengers the five miles (8km) between Laxey and Snaefell^s summit - at 2,034 ft, the island^s highest peak. Celebrations include the unveiling of a specially commissioned piece of music, guided talks and tours of trams. A spokesman said special services will be in operation all day. |
| 2016 | Services resume after West Coast Main Line derailing [BBC News] | A derailed train which blocked the West Coast Main Line between England and Scotland has been put back on the rails, National Rail has said. The engineering train came off the track near Carnforth, Lancashire, at 08:20 BST, affecting Northern Rail, TransPennine Express and Virgin Trains. Some services were cancelled and a replacement bus service was provided but trains are now running. Some continuing delays were predicted as train services resumed. The National Rail Enquiries website said Virgin Trains passengers travelling to/from Glasgow Central/Edinburgh could use Sunday tickets on services running on Monday. |
| 2017 | Scotlands highest village to finally get rail link restored [Scotsman] | A remote narrow-gauge railway which became a lifeline when a road was closed last year is being finally extended to Scotlands highest village. Work has started on a new quarter-mile section of the line from Leadhills into Wanlockhead, where it is hoped trains will run from 2020. |
| 2018 | Life-saving defibrillators to be installed at Scottish stations [ScotRail] | The ScotRail Alliance has confirmed that 34 life-saving defibrillators will be installed at railway stations across Scotland. |
| 2019 | Caledonian Sleeper admits failings after complaints of filthy, disgusting cabins [Scotsman] | Caledonian Sleeper chiefs have apologised for repeated cleaning failures after complaints of ^filthy^ cabins and uncollected litter in their brand-new trains. |
| 2019 | Plans for ferries to run from Scotland to Holland in ^advanced stage^ [Scotsman] | Scottish company TEC-Farragon is understood to be working to establish a ferry service between Rosyth and Eemshaven, in Holland^s Groningen area. |
| 2019 | HS2: Review to examine costs and benefits of rail project [BBC News] | The government is launching a review of high-speed rail link HS2 - with a go or no-go^ decision by the end of the year, the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has said. It will consider whether and how the project to connect London, the Midlands and northern England should proceed. Billions have already been spent, but Mr Shapps refused to rule out scrapping it entirely. He said it was ^responsible^ to see whether the benefits really ^stack up^. |
| 2019 | HS2: how far has work got, and why might it be scrapped? [The Guardian] | The High Speed 2 rail project^s future has been thrown into doubt as a new review begins. Booming numbers of passengers on the railways from the late 1990s saw the industry and Whitehall looking for ways to increase capacity. A brand-new high-speed line running north-south was seen as the most efficient way to deliver more intercity services, with least disruption, and free up more space for commuter trains. The HS2 projects supporters say it will cut congestion, slash journey times, and bring huge numbers of jobs and investment around the country. |
