A minor triumph personally last week when I scratched “gorgeous” Georgemas Jn in the pouring rain and wind! For the first time, i actually left the station, having just walked along the platform changing portions before. Although i still need to do Brora for a proper train move, the Far North, the best line in Scotland by far, is almost complete having done all 26 stations plus a closed one as a sprog.
As listed below i have had proper loco hauled moves at Wick, Thurso, Lairg, Ardgay, Tain, Dingwall, Muir of Ord and Inverness, the rest being units. Back in the day though you wouldnt dream of bailing off a 26 at the likes of Altnabreac as you would loose mileage.
Key – AM – Ancient move (1969-79)
OM – Old move (1980-99)
MM – Modern move (2000 onwards)
LM – Latest move
Wick
AM – 24130 1050 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Inverness – Wick 050875 onto
AM – 24130 1733 Wick/Thurso – Inverness Wick – Inverness 050875
shared my front coach table on return with 3 lads heavily involved with the then fledgling West Somerset Preserved Railway – good lads!
OM – 27055 1130 Inverness-Wick/Thurso Georgemas Jn – Wick 290185 onto
OM – 27055 1800 Wick-Inverness Wick – Inverness 290185
severe weather meant most of the local tractors were stuck on Lochgorm with boiler issues, Type 2’s to the rescue!
OM – 37421 0635 Inverness-Wick/Thurso Georgemas Jn – Wick 140189
OM – 37421 1212 Wick-Inverness Wick – Inverness 140189
Final week of loco hauled service trains on the Far North
LM – 158723 1234 Wick Inverness (via Thurso) Wick – Inverness 210226
Far North “tippie”. 27055 at Wick prior to working 2N37 1800 Wick – Inverness on January 29th 1985. Due severe weather many type 2’s were covering for absent 37’s. 27055 worked solely Wick-Inverness that evening, her boiler a strong one.
37421 basks in a brief burst of winter sun prior to departure from Wick with 2H62 1212 to Inverness on a mild January 14th 1989.
A run through the bleak Flow country beckons for 158717 on the 1234 Wick – Inverness on January 10th 2019
Georgemas Jn
LM – 158723 0700 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Georgemas Jn 210226 onto
LM – 158723 0700 Inverness – Wick Georgemas Jn – Wick 210226
Bailed at Georgemas for a first off station nose around whilst the unit went to Thurso and back
Thanks to Dave Spencer for this fine view of 26035 and 26034 shunting the Thurso van at Georgemas Jn on September 21st 1983. 26035 and 26034 had worked North on the 0640 ex Inverness, 37035 was the branch loco
“Gorgeous Georgemas” looks a bit bleak in the snow 27051 awaiting 2K10 1517 Thurso portion turn on January 29th 1985. “Tippies” were always rare on the Far North
Thurso
AM – 26038 1110 Inverness-Thurso Georgemas Jn – Thurso 020977 onto
AM – 26038 1732 Thurso-Inverness Thurso – Georgemas Jn 020977
OM – 37262 1Z25 1700 (3/5) Cardiff-Thurso Railtour Georgemas Jn – Thurso 040585
OM -37262 1Z25 1649 Wick/Thurso-Cardiff Rtn Railtour Thurso – Georgemas Jn 040585
there were unique leaps here that Georgemas will never seen again linked here!
MM – 57601 0920 Thurso – Linlithgow Rtn Railtour (40145 tailing) Thurso – Georgemas Jn 230607
LM – 158713 0802 Wick – Inverness Thurso – Dingwall 040425
37262 outsude the Thurso train shed with a portion of the rioutous RESL “Sutherland Highlander” tour from the South on May 4th 1985
57601 the “Purple Ronnie” under the Thurso trainshed having worked the overnight SRPS tour from Linlithgow on June 23rd 2007. 40145 had done the main slog North. The “Ronnie” was standing in for an absent Deltic and SRPS wisely restricted its milelage to just Georgemas-Thurso and back rather than full return mileage move South.
After having been turned at Georgemas, a late 70’s style headcoded 40145 arrives at Thurso with the return SRPS tour to Linlithgow on June 23rd 2007. 57601 worked the tour to Georgemas leaving 40145 to attack the far North line in poor weather, a superb atmospheric run!
Scotscalder
LM – 158703 1236 Wick – Inverness Wick – Scotscalder 121013 onto
LM – 158716 1037 Inverness – Wick Scotscalder – Wick 121013
Altnabreac
LM – 158738 0714 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Altnabreac 190707 onto
LM – 158738 1237 Wick – Inverness Altnabreac – Dingwall 190707
Wandered the fudge coloured tracks to kill the fester time, only life seen was 2 deer! An access dispute saw the station closed from Nov 2023 – Dec 2025. A new entrance path seemed to have resolved the issue for now as the station was open for traffic in January 2026
Forsinard
MM – 158714 0706 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Forsinard 200110 onto
MM – 158714 1236 Wick – Inverness Forsinard – Inverness 200110
There were no birds at the nearby RSB Reserve just a very low flying jet from RAF Kinloss!
LM – 158712 0700 Inverness – Wick Dingwall – Forsinard 010425onto LM – 158715 1041 Inverness – Wick Forsinard – Thurso 010425
“Tippies” power North! 27051 and 27055 storm towards Forsinard with the 1130 Inverness – Wick/Thurso on January 29th 1985. The severe weather meant all sorts of type 2 pairings, great fun!
Kinbrace
LM – 158709 0700 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Kinbrace 200324 onto
LM – 158705 1041 Inverness – Wick Kinbrace – Wick 200324
First use of automatic request stop push button to stop the train, much prefer sticking your arm out!
158709 leaves Kinbrace in glorious sun with the 0700 Inverness – Wick on March 20th 2024.
Some “ned” at Kinbrace!, March 20th 2024
Kildonan
LM – 158706 1041 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Kildonan 070223 onto
LM – 158701 1234 Wick – Inverness Kildonan – Inverness 070223
Kildonan is in a lovely setting on the Helmsdale river
158706 leaves Kildonan with the 1041 Inverness – Wick on February 7th 2023. Kildonan is one of those remote stations you could wait for hours at, a gem
Helmsdale
MM/LM 158717 0714 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Rogart – Helmsdale 230708 onto
MM/LM 158703 0813 Wick/Thurso – Inverness Helmsdale – Tain 230708
Brora
OM 27051/27055 1130 Inverness – Wick/Thurso – leapt to phot
37260/27005 on 1200 Wick – Inverness on 290185, then back on they “Tippies”!
Brora activity on a wintry January 29th 1985. 37260 and 27005 are arriving with 2N26 1200 Wick/Thurso – Inverness whilst 27051 with 27055 out of site on 2K09 1130 Inverness – Wick/Thurso. The severe low temperatures and deep snow in Northern Caithness meant pairs were on all far North trains all week as insurance against boiler failure.
Dunrobin Castle
LM – 158723 0706 Inverness – Wick Fearn – Dunrobin Castle 151013 onto
LM – 158721 0812 Wick – Inverness Dunrobin Castle – Inverness 151013
Golspie
LM 158726 0714 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Golspie 210208 onto
LM 158720 0813 Wick – Inverness Golspie – Tain 210208
Rogart
MM/LM 158703} 1752 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Dingwall – Rogart 220708 onto
158704}
overnight stay in Sleeper Zs Mk IIa 13479- sound doss! onto
MM/LM 158717 0714 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Rogart – Helmsdale 230708
37183 and 37264 at Rogart with the eventful “Sutherland Highlander” tour on May 4th 1985.
Sleeperzzzz quality doss at Rogart on July 27th 2008, Mk IIa W 13479. Sadly Sleeperzzz are down to 1 coach now and no longer offer superb overnights!
Lairg
OM – 27055 0805 Inverness-Lairg Inverness – Lairg 270185 onto
OM – 27055 1127 Lairg-Inverness Lairg – Inverness 270185
Tippies boiler expired heading North, it was very cold on the return, the guard requested we leave the train for our own safety, we didn’t!
Deep and crisp and even at Lairg on January 27th 1985. 27055 has just arrived with 1K02 0805 Inverness – Lairg. We were hours late due awaiting connectioning papers at Inverness and the “tippie’s” boiler had given up at Dingwall making the train a tad cold.
Invershin
LM – 158707 0714 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Invershin 200707
my son advised on an unexpectedly quick walk from Invershin to Culrain via the Cycleway which crosses the Shin viaduct and continues to Culrain. 15 mins only
Culrain
LM -158702 0628 Wick – Inverness Culrain – Inverness 200707
Ardgay
OM – 26008} 0630 Inverness-Wick/Thurso Inverness – Ardgay 300185 onto
OM – 26040}
Why oh why did I bail, never had a pair of 26’s on the Far North again!
OM – 27051} 0600 Wick/Thurso-Inverness Ardgay – Inverness 300185
OM – 37261}
LM – 158717 1712 Inverness – Ardgay Inverness – Ardgay 090119 onto
LM – 158722 1600 Wick – Inverness Ardgay – Inverness 090119
Not the most scenic of Far North viewpoints but a rare view of 26040 and 26008 at Ardgay with 2K03 0630 Inverness – Wick/Thurso on January 30th 1985. Severe weather in the Flow Country especially, neccisitated pairs where possible
Tain
AM – 26033 0615 Inverness-Wick/Thurso Inverness – Tain 130977 onto
AM – 26011 0530 Wick/Thurso-Inverness Tain – Inverness 130977
remember a particularly desperate station bert gripper here, very un Highland like!
OM – 156478 1100 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Tain 210495
MM – 158713 1200 Wick/Thurso – Inverness Tain – Inverness 280702
158716 leaves Tain with the 1041 Inverness – Wick on October 11th 2021.
Fearn
OM – 170892 156477 1855 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Dingwall – Fearn 170892
MM – 158739 1730 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Dingwall – Fearn 240701
Nigg (closed June 1960)
AM – Black Five? xxxx Inverness – Tain Inverness – Nigg July 1958
don’t remember much as was only 1 at the time!
Invergordon
MM- 158708 1038 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Invergordon 260412 onto
MM- 158706 1226 Wick – Inverness Invergordon – Inverness 260412
LM – 158720 1450 Inverness – Invergordon Inverness – Invergordon 220126 onto
LM – 158715 1234 Wick – Inverness Invergordon – Inverness 220126
158717 at Invergordon with the Cromarty Firth behind, the 158 had worked North on the 1450 Inverness – Invergordon on March 15th 2023
Alness
MM – 158725 1039 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Alness – Fearn 280207
Dingwall
AM -26029 0615 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Inverness – Dingwall 110875
AM – 26038 0705 Dingwall – Kyle Dingwall – Kyle 110875
OM – 156477 1855 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Dingwall – Fearn 170892
MM – 158739 1730 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Dingwall – Fearn 240701
LM – 158706 1831 Inverness – Wick Inverness – Dingwall 210126 onto
LM – 158712 1713 Kyle – Inverness Dingwall – Inverness 210126
Recently transfered from Stratford depot and yet to receive Far North headlights 37260 looks good at Dingwall with 2K03 0615 Inverness – Wick/Thurso with a good few parcels vans in the lenghty consist on June 1st 1982. 26034 was following behind on 2K02 0655 Inverness – Kyle.
Conon Bridge
LM 158709 1437 Kyle – Inverness Kyle – Conon Bridge 111013 onto
LM 158704 1713 Inverness – Ardgay Conon Bridge – Tain 111013
During the fester at Conon 66114 headed South with the empty tanks from Lairg, this flow finished in 2021
Muir of Ord
OM- 37262 1735 Inverness-Wick/Thurso Inverness – Muir 290582 onto
OM – 26034 1750 Inverness-Kyle Muir -Dingwall 290582
Vintage Muir with the grain silos prominent in this August 2nd 1983 view. 2 Sheffield based bashers look on as 37025 arrives with 2K09 1140 Wick/Thurso. I bailed off the 37 at Dingwall for 26041 on 2N20 1110 Kyle- Inverness.
Severe weather saw “pairs” allocated to all Far North services as insurance for boiler failure and getting through, deep, deep snow. 26040 and 27054 are arriving at “Muir” with 2N14 0600 Wick/Thurso – Inverness on January 29th 1985.
Beauly
LM 158707 1757 Achnasheen – Inverness Dingwall – Beauly 190707 onto
LM 158701 1552 Wick – Inverness Beauly – Inverness 190707
Inverness
AM – 24130 1050 Inverness – Wick/Thurso Inverness – Wick 050875
OM – 27055 0805 Inverness-Lairg Inverness – Lairg 270185
MM – 158713 1200 Wick/Thurso – Inverness Tain – Inverness 280702
LM – 158715 1234 Wick – Inverness Invergordon – Inverness 220126
Severe weather saw “pairs” allocated to all Far North services as insurance for boiler failure and getting through, deep, deep snow. 26040 and 27054 have just arrived with 2N14 0600 Wick/Thurso – Inverness on January 29th 1985.,
Tippies on the Far North. The late Tony Ewer catches the unusual sight of 27050 and 27020 at Inverness with the 1135 Wick/Thurso service on August 20th 1985
Any more Far North leap memories to share?
end
Leighton Lists 