West Highland Line Early 1960s

[03060]

I've got one !! (Well nearly)

 

 

The photo is by an unknown photographer but posted on Flickr courtesy of Fred Castor in his 'Bargain Bucket' album. This is the only definite 1966 image that I've found so far with a connection to the West Highland and whilst not actually taken on the WHL it does at least tell you what livery this particular loco was in that year (being taken in Nov.) There are two other WHL photos in this album which 'could' have been taken by the same photographer on the same trip but both are undated, one showing a Class 20 in FW shed, the other being of a Green Class 27 being passed at Corrour by the photographer's train in which it seems he is travelling in a blue/grey coach .... but I'm afraid with no date given it's just supposition on my part.

 

For some reason there don't seem to have been many photographers out and about on the WHL in 1966, either chasing the last of steam down south .... or watching the World Cup !

 

I'll keep looking,

Regards,

Ian.

[Calnefoxile]

On 01/02/2024 at 14:58, Dunalastair said:

I should have asked @Geoff Endacott how his layout came together all those years ago - the one linked photo seems to be broken. 

 

I'm afraid you'll have a job, unfortunately Geoff passed away very suddenly a couple of years ago, and although we, BMRG, still have the layout much of Geoffs research was lost to us when his laptop went  to his family.

 

The layout is still available for exhibitions, if anyone is interested, and there was an article in the July 2022 issue about the Layout.

 

Regards

 

Neal.

[03060]

It seems that Colour-rail.com may be the place to find some 1966 West Highland shots having just looked at MLI Plus No.251 which features an article entitled 'Troublesome NBL Type 2s' in it.

 

On p.25 there is a colour photo dated 15 Aug 1966 showing blue D6119, a 12T van, Maroon SO, Blue Grey CK and a Maroon BSK approaching Morar heading to Mallaig .

 

Hope that this answers one of your questions.

 

Regards,

Ian.

 

(PS - PM sent.)

As a result of the PM sent and a check on the Colour-rail website the 1966 date may well be a typo for 1968.

Edited February 13 by 03060
Extra info added.

[03060]

Just looking through 'The North British Type 2' book by Anthony Sayer which has the first blue Class 21/29 as being D6109, first noted 13/01/67 (not on the WHL I might add) so your wariness of the date published in the MLI issue is again supported as being 1968 and not '66.

 

(D6109 was apparently a Class 21 with several Class 29 fittings but couldn't be fitted with a Paxman engine due to it's bedplate so was refitted with a refurbished MAN engine and didn't last very long due to minor collision damage.)

Edited February 13 by 03060
Extra info added.