Fort William Station

[puffernutter]

I've found a few pictures of the old NBR Fort William station on Disused-Stations.org.uk and I really like the look of it - the passenger side looks extremely compact and could be great for a model. I was wondering if anybody had any plans or overhead views of what the station's throat and goods yards looked like, or any photos while it was in use by the NBR?

[rob D2]

well known modeller of scottish prototypes, Ian Futers , built a 7mm model of the original FW station .It was featured in a couple of editions of RM a few years back .Myabe worth getting some back issues ?

[Irishswissernie]

A fair number of photos on this collection:

 

http://rniescottishailwayrchive.fotopic.net/c926469.html

 

The Goods Yards and shed were a fair distance from the Passenger station which was a fairly simple affair, 3 platform roads with one platform road continuing as a siding to the Steamer jetty and one crossover.

 

Ernie

[puffernutter]

Thanks very much, that link is nice - unfortunately it only shows the new station - but good nonetheless.

 

Being a single-line branch, I guess there would have been no crazy pointwork at the throat of the station? Unless the goods yard/shed branched off before then?

[pH]

Puffernutter, I believe that gallery Ernie pointed you to for photos of the old station is his own . There are several photos of that station - here are a couple of examples - this and this.

[Irishswissernie]

A fair number of photos on this collection:

 

http://rniescottishailwayrchive.fotopic.net/c926469.html

 

The Goods Yards and shed were a fair distance from the Passenger station which was a fairly simple affair, 3 platform roads with one platform road continuing as a siding to the Steamer jetty and one crossover.

 

Ernie

Photos with the prefix 'om' show the old station and with the prefix 'of' show the old shed and yards

Ernie

[Irishswissernie]

Here are a couple of old plans for the station and the old yards

[The Stationmaster]

Thanks very much, that link is nice - unfortunately it only shows the new station - but good nonetheless.

 

Being a single-line branch, I guess there would have been no crazy pointwork at the throat of the station? Unless the goods yard/shed branched off before then?

 

The final approach to the station was (and I presume still is) single line with the loch on one side and - I think - a narrow road and then buildings on the other. Two turnouts and two three doll bracket signal structures - couldn't get much simpler than that. Oh and there used to be an excellent chippie just outside the station B)

[puffernutter]

oops! My bad! Sorry, I missed that connection. This photo is great and I missed it too: http://rniescottishailwayrchive.fotopic.net/p59295754.html

 

Thanks very much for the plans also - if I'm not mistaken it looks like the two 'bay' platform roads diverge from the main, which runs down the side of the station towards the pier?

 

Would there have been a pilot? With only one runaround for both platform roads I imagine that'd be quite a limitation? Or was the traffic always light enough to only have one 'bay' plus the loch-side platform in use at any one time?

[pH]

The final approach to the station was (and I presume still is) single line with the loch on one side and - I think - a narrow road and then buildings on the other. Two turnouts and two three doll bracket signal structures - couldn't get much simpler than that. Oh and there used to be an excellent chippie just outside the station

It must be a while since you sampled those chips, Mike! The station was moved several hundred yards north in 1975. Old and new station sites.

[The Stationmaster]

It must be a while since you sampled those chips, Mike! The station was moved several hundred yards north in 1975. Old and new station sites.

 

It was some years before that - 1969 if my memory is working correctly (and it included a footplate trip from Mallaig to Fort William and back to Morar on what is nowadays called a Class 29 - one of the few times I have seen total darkness going along there at night).

[DavidBird]

Here are a couple of old plans for the station and the old yards

Ah, you beat me to it!

Today, the town by-pass runs along the course of the railway, which is why the station was moved.

On the first of the plans, the PIER is still existing, with a nice seafood cafe on it, the smaller Pier is also still there, but totally inacessable, as its below the level of the road!

On the 2nd plan, the new station is between Nevis Terrace & the River Nevis, the River has been diverted and Morrisons Superstore is now just about where the word "River" is, the word "crane" is now a roundabout and although the walls of the old Fort, and the "Sally Port" are still extant, there is unfortunately absolutely no trace of the loco depot or turntable.

[AMJ]

There are plans and also many photos in the John Thomas book on the west Highland line. I saw a newer version than the one I have at Bo'ness when I was there earlier this year.

 

It has many plans for the various stations, photos of trains at different dates etc.

[Stewart]

Puffer Nutter,

 

The cross-over between the platforms was rarely used particularly in BR times. Fort William - Glasgow trains were very often double headed affairs particularly outwith the winter months. Incoming train locos would be released by the station pilot shunting the incoming coaches to vacant platforms allowing the incoming locos to depart to the shed. In BR times the station pilot was a J36 or J37. I have seen mid 60's pics of Class 08's acting as station pilot. Some of the incoming Glasgow coaches would be marshalled to form out-going onward services to Mallaig.

 

In-bound and out-bound Mallaig trains had fish vans and often other goods vans attached. From what I can gather there although the services were infrequent at various times throughout the day there was a lot of shunting going on in what was a relatively confined location.

 

I can recommed Ian Futers most recent Santonna/Book Law publication which has an article revealing how he came to realise his 40' 7mm version of Fort William. The article has several prototype pictures.

 

Also worth a look is Ewan Crawfords Railscot site www.railscot.co.uk if you search for pictures of old Fort William station there are several in there.

 

Kind Regards,

 

Stewart

[Portchullin Tatty]

I can recommed Ian Futers most recent Santonna/Book Law publication which has an article revealing how he came to realise his 40' 7mm version of Fort William. The article has several prototype pictures.

 

Scottish Layout Railway Projects - more plans, ideas and inspiration from Ian Futers. Still in print and Ian is a regular on the show circuit and generally has some for sale.

 

Actually it has quite a number of prototype pictures and drawings for the station buildings in it, along with a number of his model of it. Other sources to go to are:

 

Trains Illustrated Jan 1960

Steam World December 1995

Steam World July 1993

 

In addition to this, a lot of the background buildings are still there, once you get to realise what you are looking for and discount any more modern extension.

 

Hugely model-able station and surprising that is not more regularly done. It is on a "one day list" for me; I'll just assume that the Highland built a line down the great glen and we would be away.................agghhhh Glens, Bens and Castles, what a way to go!