Up Scotland, August 2023
Even with my “Grumpy card” the cost of the sleeper to Aberdeen was excessive in August. Daytime travel North offers the delights of a vile Pendolino or an even more rancid Azuma. So it was the Easy Jet option North, from me with lovely Luton Airport the starting point.
My base for 5 nights was Portlethen , a “nice wee town” 5 miles South of Aberdeen. The hotels about a 20 minute walk from the station which has an hourly service to Montrose except Sundays when the service is poor.
The main Event the Caledonian Gala was superb, hard working 26/27s in Scotland is where they should be. A good crowd (no Tic-Toc neds!) , some familiar faces and as what happens at Galas in Scotland, everybody enjoys themselves. A great couple of days, many thanks to the Caledonian Railway volunteers, that was some Gala you organised!
Up Scotland Moves, Gen and phots
2/8/23 We
3977 F77 0830 M.Keynes – Luton LB-LU
3956 A 0955 Dunstable – Luton Airport LU-LTN
G-EZDN EY617 1420 LTN – ABZ LTN-ABZ
84035 727 1625 Aberdeen Apt – Aberdeen ABZ-AB
158713 1700 Inverurie – Montrose AB-ST
73966 Ab
158719 1740 Aberdeen – Montrose
Stonehaven retains its semaphores, 158719 passes one with the 1740 Aberdeen – Montrose
158720 1824 Stonehaven – Aberdeen ECS
158711 1812 Montrose – Inverurie ST-PO
3/8/23 Th
43026} 1A01 0630 Edinburgh – Aberdeen
43178}
43035} 1T22 0854 Aberdeen – Glasgow
43150}
43148} 1B74 0904 Aberdeen – Edinburgh
43183}
03134 Dee Valley railway – Milton of Crathes
2 views of the Royal Deeside railway at Milton with 03134 (ex Bristol) and 3 Mk IIa TSO’s
4/8/23 Fr
158709 0539 Dundee – Inverness
73966 2115 (3/8) Euston – Aberdeen – phot
73966 passes Portlethen with the tiny 4 coach portion of 1S25 overnight from Euston
158718 0651 Inverurie – Montrose PO-MO
43130} 1A01 0630 Edinburgh – Aberdeen
43132}
43130 and 43132 pass 158718 on the approach to Montrose with the 0630 Edinburgh – Aberdeen
43021} 0738 Aberdeen – Glasgow
43149}
XSS 43Y (NPE 43) Leopard – 0845 Montrose – Bridge of Dunn MO-BD
The bus shuttle from Montrose to Bridge of Dun was operated by this superb Leopard XSS 43Y
26014 0900 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
26014 at the superb preserved terminus of Brechin after working the 0900 ex Bridge of Dun
26014 0930 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
4495, 25857, 34539, 4249, 4864
27024 1000 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
27024 1030 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
1251 buffet, 10706 sleeper,
205032
205028
20166 1100 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
20166 1130 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
26014} 1200 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
27024}
26014 (top)} 1230 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
27024 (tail)}
The thrash machine that is 27024 at Bridge of Dun
YEC 212 4w DD 1440 ex Bridge of Dun…(2.5 lengths of platform) BD (.5 mile)
with brake van 950883
08046 (D3059) (top)} 1500 Bridge of Dun – Brechin (24m32s!) BD-BR
26014 (tail)}
08046 running round at Brechin after a steady run! with the 1500 ex Bridge of Dun
08046} 1530 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
26014}
27024 1600 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
12052 unfortunately failed prior to the Gala, shes seen here at Brechin
27024 1630 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
XSS 43Y 1715 Bridge of Dun – Montrose BD-MO
158726} 1630 Edinburgh – Aberdeen MO-ST
158733}
158718 1839 Montrose – Inverurie ST-PO
5/8/23 Sa
158705 0651 Inverurie – Montrose PO-MO
40 MPH speed restriction Stonehaven – Lawrencekirk due heavy rain
43148} 0630 Edinburgh – Aberdeen
43183}
43031} 0738 Aberdeen – Glasgow
43182}
XSS 43Y – 0845 Montrose – Bridge of Dun MO-BD
27024 0900 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
27024 0930 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
20166 1000 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
At a soggy Brechin, 20166 rests after warbling West on the 0900 ex Bridge of Dun
20166 1030 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
26014 1100 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
26014 1130 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
20166} 1200 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BD-BR
27024}
A glimpse inside the shed at Bridge of Dun of under restoration 25083 and 25072
20166 (top) } 1230 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
27024 (tail) }
12093 1305 ex Bridge of Dun…(2.5 lengths of platform) BD (.5 mile)
with brake van 950883
12093 poses with brake van between brake van running turns at Bridge of Dun under the former station footbridge from Dunblane
08046 (top)} 1400 Bridge of Dun – Brechin (25m 5s!) BD-BR
27024(tail) }
08046 (top)} 1430 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
27024 (tail)}
20166 1500 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
20166 1530 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
26014 1600 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
26014 1630 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
26014} 1700 Bridge of Dun – Brechin BD-BR
27024}
A classic Sulzer Type 2 pairing prior to thrashing West to Brechin
9553 eng
An unexpected bonus was sighting 9553 ticking over on an engineers at Bridge of Dun
26014 (top)} 1730 Brechin – Bridge of Dun BR-BD
27024 (tail)}
XSS 43Y 1800 Bridge of Dun – Montrose BD-MO
43026} 1630 Edinburgh – Aberdeen MO-ST
43176}
158705 1839 Montrose – Inverness ST-PO
6/8/23 Su
43147} 0930 Aberdeen – Glasgow
43028}
7/8/23 Mo
43148} 0530 Edinburgh – Aberdeen (called Portlethlen)
43183}
43183 and 43148 leave Portlethen with the 0530 Edinburgh – Aberdeen
158723 0742 Montrose – Dyce
158702 0758 Inverurie – Montrose PO-ST
158705 0859 Montrose – Inverurie ST-AB
84069 727 – 1000 Aberdeen – Montrose AB-ABZ
G-EZBW EZY618 1445 ABZ-LTN ABZ-LTN
A lot better (and cheaper) than a rancid Pendo, Airbus 319 G-EZBW at Aberdeen prior to departure to Luton.
3968 A – 1655 Luton Airport – Dunstable LTN-LU
3956 F70 – 1715 Luton – M.Keynes LU-LB
end
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