Aberfeldy Branch - Railbus?

[56038]

The Aberfeldy Branch has a well recorded history of motive power used; long term ex CR 2P Tanks, BR Standard Tanks (briefly) and then 24/1's and 26's.

 

I'm surprised that the economics of using what were fairly new Type 2's on a single coach didn't go unnoticed, and that Railbuses operated from Perth MPD for the Crieff / Comrie Branch, and also seemed to venture from Perth to Stirling via Devon Valley line.... so, did Aberfeldy just miss out - or was there ever a trial?

[keefer]

Don't know if the topography of the line had anything to do with it?

Not familiar with the line, are there any particularly bad gradients etc. that would've made it unsuitable?

 

Or was it a case of needing the loco to work other local traffic, i.e. goods, when not working the branch train?

[56038]

Don't know if the topography of the line had anything to do with it?

Not familiar with the line, are there any particularly bad gradients etc. that would've made it unsuitable?

 

Or was it a case of needing the loco to work other local traffic, i.e. goods, when not working the branch train?

 

Thanks Keefer, gradients not an issue on this line; pretty much a gentle rise towards Aberfeldy looking at the topography of the area.

 

There was a daily mixed train, one photograph I saw was a CR 2P tank with the single coach and about 12 assorted wagons - but usually just 4 or 5, which carried on into Type 2 days. These were picked up / returned from / to Ballinluig from the Perth - Blair Atholl pick-up goods. Would have thought the cost of retaining a branch loco for just one return mixed train would have been saved by a bit of changing the diagram of the loco on the Blair Atholl goods - but then again, it was the early 1960's.....

 

Not too far away, Crieff / Comie was worked by a railbus with a daily loco hauled goods (which came on the direct line from Perth) - but thinking about it, most of the later Crieff brach photos show a Black 5 or BR Standard tank on 2 coaches because the railbus was out of service!!

 

Maybe Perth just didn't trust sending out a railbus to Aberfeldy!!

[pH]

This website says a "diesel railcar" was tested on the branch, but the economics got worse as a result!

http://www.pastthetracks.com/Aberfeldy/History.htm .

 

I think that with there still being some goods traffic, but it being quite obvious that the branch would soon close, just substituting diesel for steam might have been seen as the easiest course. And I think your point about not trusting the reliability of a railbus that far away from home may also be correct. If the Crieff/Comrie one failed, there would always be a Five and a couple of coaches handy. If one failed on the Aberfeldy branch, help was over 30 miles away.

[56038]

Thanks pH, it was finding the railcar comment on Past the Tracks that had me wondering if it meant a railbus? The Perth - Blair Atholl local services ended up with class 101 DMU's, so possibly that's what was used for a trial?

 

But - I've also read that the Type 2 was an Inverness loco diagram (steam having been a Perth loco, sub-shedded at Aberfeldy) which was made available from Inverness to Perth turns. So Type 2 availability, railbus unreliability and distance from "home"... as you say, just substituting diesel for steam on the branch probably was the easiest option...

 

Well, for "my" railway (O gauge outdoors, and loosely based on Aberfeldy branch) I think I'll go ahead with my own railbus trial later this year anyway (Heljan permitting)