WD 2-8-0 and BR Standart Fives on the Far North and Skye Line?

[McRuss]

Hello,

 

with the advent of the new GraFar WD 2-8-0 and BR Standart Fives, did these locos run on the Far North Line or the Skye Line from Dingwall to Kyle of Lochalsh?

 

yours

 

Markus

[Ben Alder]

The WD's-no , although LMS 8F's ran to Inverness during the war, and I have been told by railwaymen that they were used on the Wick line, although I have not come across any photographic or written evidence. The same applies to the Standard Five- two sources said they ran Further North, but I would imagine this must have been a rare occurence, as they were not regular visitors to Inverness. Still, modellers licence allows leeway in such situations

[Lochinvar]

I can confirm that BR5s did work on the Far North Line. For a quite brief period in the late 50s, 2 of the class - from memory,73106/7- were allocated to Inverness Shed (60A). One of their frequent duties during that period was double-heading with the obligatory Black 5 on the late-afternoon (1700-ish?) departure from Inverness to the North. Less reliably,I have the recollection that the BR5 would be the lead loco.,having previously worked in from Aviemore. How far the lead loco worked,I don't know but I have a suspicion that it came off at Helmsdale.

 

I don't know whether they (the BR5s) worked to Kyle;certainly,I never saw one.

 

DR