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Tarbert, West Coast of Scotland


SHerr
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After some really good info around DMUs and Shipping I have a question around loco usage that hopefully people can help with.

 

My time frame is 1965-67 and Eastfield started to receive class 24s and 25s through 1966. There are lots of info about 25s on West Highland and Oban lines in the 70s and early 80s and I’ve found the odd photo of a 25/1 at Oban in 1969 and a 24 in 70/71. 
 

I know they were never regular but also not rare in these parts but did they start to appear soon after arrival in 66/67 or was it later?

 

I suppose same question for class 26’s - I’m planning on 24/25 and a 26 as occasional performers (mainly as I already have a 26 in bits that’s getting resprayed and put back together) but wondering if they are justified on a more regular basis.

 

One benefit of modelling somewhere that never had a line is you can be a bit creative as the extra traction demands would have meant there were not at the time enough locos to cover this line.

 

Slightly worried this may become an expensive question and lead to a shiny tin box with expensive loco inside!

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Hi SHeer,

 

I have never found any photo evidence of  Class 24/25 on the Oban line in the mid Sixties.

That's not to say they weren't there, just not photographed.

 

I've only ever seen Class 26s on the lines on railtours or excursions, never on regular working.

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Some good progress on the baseboards, the main sections are pretty much finish and just need Backscene boards. I've also started the front extended section for the harbour area, however the boards are not their final shape.

 

Tracks are still just loose laid to give a feel of what's going where.

 

IMG_0203.jpeg.793efac6c6865e581421e005c1e4116c.jpeg

 

 

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IMG_0206.jpeg.fbfe4ec22bf04a9b9324a963d45b9427.jpeg

 

 

IMG_0207.jpeg.66e96df0fb2718858e22657068dc6845.jpeg

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On 16/07/2020 at 12:33, Argos said:

Hi SHeer,

 

I have never found any photo evidence of  Class 24/25 on the Oban line in the mid Sixties.

That's not to say they weren't there, just not photographed.

 

I've only ever seen Class 26s on the lines on railtours or excursions, never on regular working.

Hi,  

I've just done a wee search in Google for Oban railway station, images, and variations thereof, and came across a cl24 leaving the station, 3 cl25's and a cl20 being double-headed by a cl27 on what looks like a passenger service but may be a railtour or excursion. In one of my books I have a photo of a cl20 heading a freight to Oban from Crianlarich Upper.

 

Roja

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Hi Roja,

 

Can you supply the links?

I would like to see those pictures.

I suspect the Class 20/27 double header is the excursion train that is seen at Killin in one of the Caledonian Lines DVDs (Volume 4?) I have.

 

Thanks

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Hi,

here we go.  Bear with me, first time doing this!

 

 http://rcts.zenfolio.com/diesel/br/locomotives/27/eA104E035

https://railphotoprints.uk/p916501830/e7372d967

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p817466263/e1c9dae3

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p817466263/e39e11c3

https://www.derbysulzers.com/7584oban69.jpg

 

As an aside, I collect old postcards of Oban, and came across these early this morning, so just had to buy them!

 

 

 

s-l1600.jpg.ecb2531de3eb2ebdf902fbfb8f84b461.jpg

 

I'll have a rummage through my books later.  

 

Roja

s-l1600.jpg

Edited by 37Oban
Image removed to save possible breach of copyright, copyright holder,KEITH JONES, use Peronal only. Sincere apologies if offence caused. t. Copyright held by
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3 hours ago, 37Oban said:

Hi,

here we go.  Bear with me, first time doing this!

 

 http://rcts.zenfolio.com/diesel/br/locomotives/27/eA104E035

https://railphotoprints.uk/p916501830/e7372d967

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p817466263/e1c9dae3

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p817466263/e39e11c3

https://www.derbysulzers.com/7584oban69.jpg

 

As an aside, I collect old postcards of Oban, and came across these early this morning, so just had to buy them!

 

s-l1600.jpg.2515c78a1e294e36e9d50c2cfb74c908.jpg

 

s-l1600.jpg.ecb2531de3eb2ebdf902fbfb8f84b461.jpg

 

I'll have a rummage through my books later.  

 

Roja

Thanks, the one of the 20 and 27 is great. There are quite a few around of 20’s on the West Highland in the early to mid 60s including George O’Hara’s book. I’ve seen the 24 and 25 green with full yellow ends photos before.

 

I have also this weekend found a photo labelled as 1967 on the Eastbank MRC page of a 120 and 21 behind so happy that they both lasted until that date.

 

I’m going to work on a bit of modellers licence that the extra lines in the area meant more traction required and that 24, 25 and 26’s make a few more appearances. I’ve seen a photo somewhere in early/mid 60’s of a 26 on an Oban to Edinburgh train in the Stirling area but I don’t know if it worked through or there was a loco change at Stirling.

 

Crinan shows them quite regularly and A few other layouts of west coast have 24’s and 26’s running and they don’t look out of place. 

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Hi Roja,

 

Thanks for taking the trouble to post those links there are some I hadn't seen.

I bought some photos of the Oban line of the RTCS last weekend, mostly carriage views of sleepers and observation cars but that view of the 20&27 double header didn't turn up in the search.

I must check my search criteria!

 

Still none from the early and mid-sixties though :(,

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Hi,

well, I had a rummage through my books, but most of the photos of Oban, including other stretches of the C & O, predominately classes 27 and 29 with a smattering of 21's.  Three I did turn up are:

BR Diesel Traction in Scotland. pg 40, 3-car Derby dmu as part of a 7-car formation in the Pass of Leny, July 1961

Callender & Oban Railway Through Time, pg 91, poor photograph of a 25 in Oban

Past & Present North West Scotland, pg 96, a cl20 heading a freight from Oban up the chord into Crianlarich.

 

I think what loco's were used on which service was possibly determined by their availability at Eastfield depot, so 24's and 25's were not regular performers to Oban, and 26's very rare beasts indeed!  That's not to say they never ventured there, but they were primarily Highland and east coast machines.  I believe the 27's were preferred by the crews to other classes also.  And let's not forget they might have been used on trains when nobody was around to photograph, and that in the early sixties many photographers hung up their cameras with end of steam traction!

 

Roja

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Hi,

 

well, that didn't go to plan!  Removed the image of the dmu, for possible copyright issue, and back it came!  The copyright belongs to Keith Jones, for personal use only.  Apologies to Mr Jones if I've caused any offence, and if anyone can tell me how to remove the original phot I'd be well pleased. Tried edit, remove to bin, but no effect!

 

Thanks,

 

Roja

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Phew!  Teach me to read all the description when buying cards and photos!  The thing is, the photo is a copy of a photo done by a 3rd party, so I'm not sure how copyright interprets that!  Better safe than sorry!

 

By the way, the photo of the 20 was taken in 1967.

 

Roja

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On 09/07/2020 at 22:38, SHerr said:

Tarbert (not Tarbet!) the real location is on Loch Fyne between Lochgilphead and Campbeltown.

 

The layout was initially conceived as an Ian Futers style small Moray Coast terminus but has grown somewhat from those plans, not to mention moved location by a few hundred miles.

 

Whilst planning the small terminus which was always intended to play second fiddle to my main layout, I decided that my main layout was actually too big (never heard that one before!) and was not getting anywhere but also the electrics were becoming too complicated for me as this is not my strong point, and the curved section of the layout was getting too many derailments. After a few planning sessions I became confident enough that within the loft I could get both a bigger and smaller layout.

 

I will focus here on the smaller layout which is going to be 12' by 2' widening at the station end.

 

whilst researching the era I think I read the Crinan thread too many times and decided to change fora number of reasons.

 

It is assumed that the Caledonian Railway stated building a line from Connel Ferry down to Campbeltown, however funding became stretched so it was eventually built in too stages terminating initially at Tarbert and then an extension on to Campbeltown. However Tarbert remained a terminus for what was little more than a glorified light railway extension.

 

The layout is set in 1966-68 timeframe so will allow both class 21 and 29 plus 20, 27 and occasional 24, 25 and 26 workings. The Campbeltown branch is worked in a similar vein to the Ballachulish or Killin branches with a loco and 1 or 2 coaches and occasional freight trips. Services north split and join from the main Callander and Oban line at Connel Ferry and take a 2 or 3 coach portion - I have assumed the C&O didn't close as early and is still bumbling on.

 

211462014_WestCoastTarbert4.png.e2a668d3d52837c2e0ba906f4ab037e7.png

 

 

The Track plan is inspired by Ballachulish and was probably built at a very similar time so is feasible.

 

There is a link to a nearby distillery and a quayside that still see's regular fish traffic although no longer transports the Whisky out by ship. I am assuming the Distillery branch feeds more than one location and is likely to be served by an Andrew Barclay tank.

 

Other general produce, Coal, Vans etc still run to the goods yard and Grain arrives for the distillery and barrels leave in open wagons.

 

I will hopefully post a few more early updates in the next few days

I think there are several Tarbe(r)ts - including another one further down Kintyre. It just means a gap/low point through a range of hills. Useful for rail routes, of course.

 

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For added fun, you do know there was coal mining on Kintyre until 1967?.  Down Near Cambeltown abandoned due to flooding.

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2 minutes ago, TheQ said:

For added fun, you do know there was coal mining on Kintyre until 1967?.  Down Near Cambeltown abandoned due to flooding.

I believe this was the original purpose of the Campbelltown & Macrihanish Light Railway?

 

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8 minutes ago, IanStock said:

I believe this was the original purpose of the Campbelltown & Macrihanish Light Railway?

 

yep and some years later tourists, make you wonder if it would be successful in that field today..

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2 hours ago, TheQ said:

yep and some years later tourists, make you wonder if it would be successful in that field today..


Probably did know about coal mining having seen Nigel MacMillans layout on the Campbeltown and Macrihanish Railway , but had long since forgotten.  I have to say I’ve been to Campbeltown  twice , once on a drive because we were staying at Lochgilphead and once aboard the MV Pioneer on a special cruise , and been completely underwhelmed . I’m not sure it’s the sort of place that tourists would flock to and it’s definitely a dead end . Some years ago you could catch a ferry from there to Ballycastle  NI Which could have been a good round trip, but that stopped after only a year or two . I know Macrihanish  had a claim to fame for having one of the longest runways in the country . I think it was a USAF base.  But really unless your a Paul and Linda McCartney fan I’d say there’s not much of interest south of Tarbert

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1 hour ago, Legend said:

 But really unless your a Paul and Linda McCartney fan I’d say there’s not much of interest south of Tarbert


Oh, I don’t know:

 

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/southend/footprintscaves/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunaverty_Castle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campbeltown_single_malts

 

plus some lovely sandy beaches, and still-visible traces of the Campbeltown and Macrihanish Railway. (At least, they were there about 55 years ago, and from Google Maps, they still seem to be visible.:))


 

 

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That’s useful info re the mine, I assume that most of the coal would have gone by ship, my assumption is that the railway was to connect Campbeltown with the top of Argyl, Oban, Inveray etc rather than much onward traffic to Glasgow. There certainly wouldn’t have been many tourists when built but I suppose that by the 60s there would have been some demand as it’s a pretty long track for a 1960s car. Tarbert etc on to Glasgow is more plausible.
 

I suppose a coal train could have rumbled around feeding the local depots etc.
 

Its a place I definitely want to visit but it would involve my golf clubs and a trip to Machrihanish.

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Hi,

 

just a wee update.  I received the photo of the cl20 in Oban station.  On the back it states "D8103 (or 8130) (blue) on Glasgow train (?) Oban 19/8/67"  So most likely a service train and not an excursion, and 20's were some times used on passenger trains between Glasgow and Crianlarich during the summer.  There's a photo of D8117 on such a service in 1962 in "Diesels in Scotland" by W J Verden Anderson, so it possible they had made it Oban  on the occasional passenger service, just not been recorded.  That would have been a steady trip, especially along the Clyde!  

 

Roja

 

 

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Well I’m glad you’ve mentioned that book as I bought it when I modelled Scotland in the 80’s but now re-looked through the earlier photos with great interest. 
 

However what is even better is When I put it back I then picked off my shelf ‘Diesel Days Scotland’ by Brian J Dickinson and on page 104 I’ve answered my own question as there is a photo of class 25 D5182 on a Buchanan St to Oban service dated 4 July 1964.

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The fairly cool weather has allowed a bit more time in the loft trying to sort the baseboards out, I've now got a good way on with what will be the water/harbour area.

 

I have also made a tentative start on a station building as an 'inspired by but not a copy of' Ballachulish. the starting point is a little unusual being a resin Skytrex factory roof that is pretty much spot on for size. Mainly thick card shell and clad in plasticard, however the bay windows are from an unwanted Metcalfe Terraced house kit that have been filled around the scribe marks and painted/partially clad. Early days but I'm fairly happy with the character.

 

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