Scottish diesels in the 1980s Scotrail era.

[Marten]

Yes, it was a purpose built watering facility at the end of each platform at Crianlarich, used multiple times each day, six days a week for a minimum of 40 weeks each year (in theory steam heat was not required in 'summer' but was often needed particularly early in the morning e.g. 01.00 and 06.00 from Queen St.) over many years.

Using standpipes and hoses sounds like the sort of provision for one off occasions at locations where watering was not normally provided, and perhaps in more modern times including steam specials in some locations.

 

[Strathclyder]

Bumping this thread back up for this video (originally shot by Alan Harrison, uploaded to YT by karlwheelkarl). No doubt most here have already seen it, but it's a brilliant snapshot of railway operations in/around Edinburgh in the summer of 1986:

Heck, may as well throw in this Soi Buakhao vid of Stirling & Perth, dating from 1989. No doubt he's seen this one already, but a certain someone may be rather enthused that 47636 makes an appearence at around the 3:30 mark.

 

[D1537]

Heck, may as well throw in this Soi Buakhao vid of Stirling & Perth, dating from 1989. No doubt he's seen this one already, but a certain someone may be rather enthused that 47636 makes an appearence at around the 3:30 mark.

Interesting thing there at 12:54 - The SLEP from the QS-Aberdeen sleeper being worked back empty inside a push-pull set. It was a regular thing but I'd completely forgotten about it until I saw that!

 

[Helvellyn]

For Mk 2 stock, the first few years' build were vacuum braked, and just used mixed with their Mk1 predecessors. In the normal way, no new Mk 2/3 vehicles were allocated to Scotland (subject to correction here), and they arrived secondhand from 'down south' as they were in turn displaced there. Those Edinburgh-Glasgow push-pulls were original Mk 2 vacuum stock from the LMR, but were rebuilt at St Rollox works to air braking for the performance required, and thus kept to their own work. I've written before of some spectacular stops with these trains. Dual heating of stock was long common and straightforward, but dual braking is difficult, arranging for separate brake rigging and two sets of brake cylinders etc.

The Mark 2 Air brake conversions for the E-G services were unique in that the vacuum operated tread brakes were replaced with air operated disc brakes. I assume this meant the B4 bogies on these vehicles could only be used on similarly equipped vehicles.

When the 47/7 push-pull services were introduced the Mark 3A FOs and TSOs cascaded from the LMR already had disc brakes. But the original 10 DBSO conversions were fitted with air operated disc brake bogies recovered from some of the original Mark 2s. DBSO 9714, converted to replace Polmont victim 9706, was similarly fitted. However, I believe 9711-9713, converted for use with Mark 2 stock on the Aberdeen services, retained tread brakes. None of this stopped tread brake fitted ScotRail Mark 2s turning up in the E-G sets though!

 

[SteveM70]

37184 and 37017 also did spells at Inverness and had headlights for working the Far North and Kyle lines, but I'm not aware that either had RETB equipment

The Kyle line moved over to RETB in summer 1984 and the far north line followed in autumn 1985 (can’t remember the exact dates).

Looking at class37.co.uk 37017 made its break for freedom through the buffers at Thurso on 16/6/84, and had its last run north of Inverness on 12/7/85 before a brief spell on Glasgow - Stranraer and then a move to Cardiff. There doesn’t seem to be any record of 184 on the far north or Kyle lines, although it was a pre-RETB regular on the west highland in 1984 and 1985, so I suspect neither was RETB fitted

According to one source that I have, 37021 received RETB equipment. I don't remember that, but Rail Gen Archive shows 37021 working to/from Wick in 1985/86

So if that gen is correct, it must have been fitted for RETB

 

[hexagon789]

The Mark 2 Air brake conversions for the E-G services were unique in that the vacuum operated tread brakes were replaced with air operated disc brakes. I assume this meant the B4 bogies on these vehicles could only be used on similarly equipped vehicles.

The modified bogies were based on experience with a Mk2A set so-equipped in about 1969, used on the ECML.

The E&G 2Zs also had a two-stage system (the second stage being 60mph and over), not too dissimilar in principle to that which the HST power cars originally had.

However, I believe 9711-9713, converted for use with Mark 2 stock on the Aberdeen services, retained tread brakes. None of this stopped tread brake fitted ScotRail Mark 2s turning up in the E-G sets though!

They did, and were originally restricted to the Mk2 sets; in later years it no longer applied.

 

[tbtc]

Bumping this thread back up for this video (originally shot by Alan Harrison, uploaded to YT by karlwheelkarl). No doubt most here have already seen it, but it's a brilliant snapshot of railway operations in/around Edinburgh in the summer of 1986

I’d not seen that before but I’m glad I watched it today, really took me back!

It made me wonder… since the Falkirk High services required half a carriage of First Class, why wasn’t it in the DBSO? The composite coach in the middle of the rakes felt “odd” to me, but maybe that was more about the stock that ScotRail could get their hands on?

Sorry to think that just a couple of years later it'd have been mainly two coach Sprinters on most of the services in that video, instead of the 27/47s, i didn’t know how good things were back then

 

[hexagon789]

It made me wonder… since the Falkirk High services required half a carriage of First Class, why wasn’t it in the DBSO? The composite coach in the middle of the rakes felt “odd” to me, but maybe that was more about the stock that ScotRail could get their hands on?

Originally the sets had a full First. In 1986, to free up a few TSOs for expansion of push-pull to the Edinburgh-Aberdeen ScotRail services the Edinburgh-Glasgow sets were reduced to 5 coaches from 6. To better balance the remaining capacity, the First Opens were converted to Composite Opens. The Mk3 sets only lasted as 5 coaches for about a year by mid-1987, they were all back to 6 coaches normally.

Unlike the TSOs, which retained their original 72-seat layouts until the end of use in Scotland, the Composites had the modified layout in Standard Class with 37 seats in Std (38 minus one for the swing door into First Class) and 24 in First.

The Composites and Firsts before them were marshalled next to the DBSO rather than in the middle, just as the Firsts in the Class 27 sets were marshalled next to the Brake vehicle.

I imagine that with all the costs involved in converting the 2F BSOs to driving trailers, spending more time and money adding First Class to them was probably considered unnecessary, especially when full Firsts were available and wanted anyway.

Copy of MkIIIA CO diagram from the carriage diagrams book:

 

[Taunton]

I’d not seen that before but I’m glad I watched it today, really took me back!

It made me wonder… since the Falkirk High services required half a carriage of First Class, why wasn’t it in the DBSO? The composite coach in the middle of the rakes felt “odd” to me, but maybe that was more about the stock that ScotRail could get their hands on?

I think I actually covered that one a while ago, from when the initial 27x2 Push-Pull ran, with a BSO-FK-4 SO. As there weren't any silly customers prepared to pay First Class on Glasgow-Edinburgh (this is Scotland. for goodness sake ), and as there weren't any original Mk2 BFK built, it was necessary to provide a full FK, alias empty stock back and forth all day for the service. Actually it wasn't always empty, for in the 1970s there were a number of Scotrail management grades with first class passes, for whom the FK formed a sort of private club when commuting, as a number did between the cities, whilst there were standees in standard.

In all honesty the service should have been standard class only, BSO-5 SO, it was only 45 minutes, but it was badged as Inter-City, who didn't do that.

My longstanding feelings about this stem in part from an Edinburgh university visitor of mine from the USA. who had a First Class BritRailPass (as sold by the travel agent in the USA), and on entering the FK was treated extremely rudely by the Scotrail "management" grades in there until they understood their ticket - which was demanded to be shown, and then, grumpily, accepted. Alan Williams wrote in Modern Railways more recently about comparable high-handed attitudes by Scotrail management staff on the same service in First.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

I remember a train which has an ETHEL on it and I had it for haulage or at least travelled behind it. I got it from Helensburgh iirc I think it was standard 37/0 + ETHEL then into Glasgow QS or some maneuver - and I think it went to 86/2 or 87 haulage for journey south. Great times

ETHEL = Electric Train Heating Ex Locomotive - converted RAT not McRat i.e. 25

 

[D1537]

I remember a train which has an ETHEL on it and I had it for haulage or at least travelled behind it. I got it from Helensburgh iirc I think it was standard 37/0 + ETHEL then into Glasgow QS or some maneuver - and I think it went to 86/2 or 87 haulage for journey south. Great times

ETHEL = Electric Train Heating Ex Locomotive - converted RAT not McRat i.e. 25

Yes, this was standard from late 1983 to c.late 1985-early 1986, until enough 37/4s were available.

1S07 Euston-Fort William sleeper, electric to Mossend, 37/0+ETHEL to Eastfield, random locomotive pull back into Queen Street (usually another 37), 37/0+ETHEL forward.

The return 1M16 IIRC went from Glasgow QS to Stirling to meet up with the southbound Inverness portion (as eventually 1S07 did, in reverse).

 

[Rick1984]

Copy of MkIIIA CO diagram from the carriage diagrams book:

Nice to see the smoking area in 1st separated by, erm... nothing!

 

[xotGD]

Bumping this thread back up for this video (originally shot by Alan Harrison, uploaded to YT by karlwheelkarl). No doubt most here have already seen it, but it's a brilliant snapshot of railway operations in/around Edinburgh in the summer of 1986:

Heck, may as well throw in this Soi Buakhao vid of Stirling & Perth, dating from 1989. No doubt he's seen this one already, but a certain someone may be rather enthused that 47636 makes an appearence at around the 3:30 mark.

There's some dubious coaching stock behind the 26/37 combo.

Takes me back to those long gone days on a Freedom of Scotland.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Takes me back to those long gone days on a Freedom of Scotland.

Absolutely. One year I got a Scottish Rover rather than an all-line rover. Fabulous. I used to do the Edinburgh to Inverkeithing turns which often produced.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

There's some dubious coaching stock behind the 26/37 combo.

This was the Royal Scotsman in its early years.

Bumping this thread back up for this video (originally shot by Alan Harrison, uploaded to YT by karlwheelkarl). No doubt most here have already seen it, but it's a brilliant snapshot of railway operations in/around Edinburgh in the summer of 1986:

Heck, may as well throw in this Soi Buakhao vid of Stirling & Perth, dating from 1989. No doubt he's seen this one already, but a certain someone may be rather enthused that 47636 makes an appearence at around the 3:30 mark.

Some fabulous film and sounds on there. Memories, happy memories.

Thank you for posting.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Even Inverness to Aberdeen did not always have a duff up front but often produced 26 and 27s

 

[hexagon789]

Nice to see the smoking area in 1st separated by, erm... nothing!

Of course originally when the full carriage was First Class, you just had the wee mid-carriage dividers, those small partitions.

And the Mk2Ds had nothing...

Of course the original premise BR spouted in public literature was that the air-conditioning negated the need to segregate smoking and non-smoking.

That was of course not exactly true, but it wasn't until the mid-80s that BR started making full air-con vehicles smoking or non-smoking within trains rather than sections of coaches.

 

[Strathclyder]

Two more 1980s ScotRail videos I've found recently, both clocking in at over 40 minutes (so only watch when you have time to spare over the next couple days lol). Recorded by Roy Bowden in 1988 and the first of two vids he recorded in Scotland that year, it emcompasses Glasgow Queen St, Edinburgh Waverley & Haymarket and a trip up the West Highland Line to Fort William & back. Of particular note is 47539 requiring the fire brigade to attend to it at Haymarket with smoke pouring from it's rear bogie (jump to 17:56 for when it first pulls in, bogie smoking away).

Here is the second video, covering Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh & Thurso. This one in particular should rekindle some fond memories.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Two more 1980s ScotRail videos I've found recently, both clocking in at over 40 minutes (so only watch when you have time to spare over the next couple days lol). Recorded by Roy Bowden in 1988 and the first of two vids he recorded in Scotland that year, it emcompasses Glasgow Queen St, Edinburgh Waverley & Haymarket and a trip up the West Highland Line to Fort William & back. Of particular note is 47539 requiring the fire brigade to attend to it at Haymarket with smoke pouring from it's rear bogie (jump to 17:56 for when it first pulls in, bogie smoking away).

Here is the second video, covering Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh & Thurso. This one in particular should rekindle some fond memories.

I'll come back to watch these when i have a bit more time. Looking forward to more memories. Thanks for your efforts in digging these out.

 

[Cowley]

Two more 1980s ScotRail videos I've found recently, both clocking in at over 40 minutes (so only watch when you have time to spare over the next couple days lol). Recorded by Roy Bowden in 1988 and the first of two vids he recorded in Scotland that year, it emcompasses Glasgow Queen St, Edinburgh Waverley & Haymarket and a trip up the West Highland Line to Fort William & back. Of particular note is 47539 requiring the fire brigade to attend to it at Haymarket with smoke pouring from it's rear bogie (jump to 17:56 for when it first pulls in, bogie smoking away).

Here is the second video, covering Inverness, Kyle of Lochalsh & Thurso. This one in particular should rekindle some fond memories.

Fantastic stuff @Strathclyder.

 

[dubscottie]

It made me wonder… since the Falkirk High services required half a carriage of First Class, why wasn’t it in the DBSO? The composite coach in the middle of the rakes felt “odd” to me, but maybe that was more about the stock that ScotRail could get their hands on?

The window spacing on Mk2s was different between 1st & 2nd class.
If 1st class seats had been fitted in the DBSO then the seats wouldn't have lined up with the windows or the seats would have been very cramped.

 

[Western 52]

Out of interest, what was the maximum scheduled load for passenger trains hauled by a single type 2 in Scotland? I saw load 9 on the Far North line several times, although 3 or 4 vehicles were BG vans. Anything longer on a regular basis?

 

[D6130]

Out of interest, what was the maximum scheduled load for passenger trains hauled by a single type 2 in Scotland? I saw load 9 on the Far North line several times, although 3 or 4 vehicles were BG vans. Anything longer on a regular basis?

It depended on the route. The maximum load for a single type 2 on the West Highland and Oban lines - with longish gradients as steep as I in 50 - was eight bogies. IIRC, the steepest gradient on the Far North line is about 1 in 70 - and that only for a couple of miles between Lairg and Rogart - so the nine car limit would have been more logical.

 

[delt1c]

Out of interest, what was the maximum scheduled load for passenger trains hauled by a single type 2 in Scotland? I saw load 9 on the Far North line several times, although 3 or 4 vehicles were BG vans. Anything longer on a regular basis?

The 06.00 Queen St to Fort William think was one of the heaviest , single 27 , BG, RB, Sleeper (some times 2) plus day seated coaches

Interestingly think the Fort William sleeper may have been only sleeper hauled by 20's as from Mossend to Queen St used what ever was available

 

[D6130]

The 06.00 Queen St to Fort William think was one of the heaviest , single 27 , BG, RB, Sleeper (some times 2) plus day seated coaches

IIRC, back in the the late 1960s and through the 1970s into the early 1980s the 06 00 Queen Street was the heaviest Down train on the West Highland. Technically speaking, it was load eight-and-a-half....with the newspaper van behind the loco being a Southern region 4 wheel PMV (Parcels and Mail Van), followed by the two sleepers, the two London seating coaches, the RB and the three Glasgow-Mallaig coaches. Latterly, after the RB was withdrawn, the three Glasgow-Mallaig coaches included an RMB. Any augmentation of the consist at weekends or public holidays required double-heading. @Cheshire Scot will be able to confirm or otherwise.

 

[hexagon789]

The window spacing on Mk2s was different between 1st & 2nd class.
If 1st class seats had been fitted in the DBSO then the seats wouldn't have lined up with the windows or the seats would have been very cramped.

Though Mk 2Z and 2A BSOs had identical spacing and bodyshells to BFKs - one open saloon of 28ft 10.75in vs 4 compartments of 7ft 2in.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

After a day offline it is a return to action for the evocative subject of the type 2s era in the Highlands.

Although the topic subject is the 1980s, part of the discussion has been around type2s which by the 1980s were on the way out as traction on these routes

There has been mention of maximum loads in passenger service and quite rightly include 1970s examples of load 9 to the Far North and to quote @D6130 'eight-and-a-half' on the 06.00 from Queen St.

Timing loads were typically calculated as number of coaches x 35, 35 being an average weight for a Mk1 coach (excluding sleepers and diners), with individual weights generally between 33 and 37 tons, the heavier examples being those fitted with commonwealth bogies. sleepers and diners being around 5t heavier.

Thus although the 06.00 was 'eight-and-a-half', in weight terms it was nine, an extra 5 tons each for the RB, SLF and SLS, and 17t (Wiki) for the PMV or CCT. Strangely although the 73/74 Marshalling book states the load as '9/314', the footnotes state 'must not exceed 9 vehicles/300 tons'. By 76/77 this had been amended to 'must not exceed 9 vehicles leaving Glasgow' followed by '(315t Timing Load)'. As stated above most other West Highland trains were max load 8 /280 although a couple of trains were 7/245, including the 16.38 from Queen St which was 14 minutes faster to Fort William than the 06.00 reflecting faster acceleration and climbing. @D6130 notes a 1973 instance of a 9 coach excursion, and ten years earlier the ill fated 'Jacobite' promoted as the 'last steam train on the West Highland' formed of 9 coaches returned from Mallaig behind a single class 27 throughout leaving a trail of failed steam locos in behind. Also, I have noted in a previous thread an August 1978 instance where a single class 27 went forward from Corrour with load 11 following two class 27 failures, whilst this would undoubtedly lose time in acceleration and on the climbs to County March and Glen Douglas summits, the load of just over 400t was within the known capabilities of a class 27 as it was slightly less than the maximum load for a class 27 on freight.

I suspect the 9 max. reflected the need to have the van platformed for loading at Queen St, it was off the platform at most stations and only conveyed traffic for Crianlarich and Fort William, intermediate and Mallaig line traffic being in the two BSKs and there was no scope to strengthen this train (see Summer Sats below). In the same era the Sunday 18.10 to Aberdeen was booked load 10 with the leading TSO off the platform at Queen St and slightly later the Sunday 08.10 to Aberdeen acquired an Inverness portion and was load 11, proving Queen St could handle longer trains albeit there was only the hourly Edinburgh plus occasional Aberdeen/Dundee or Inverness trains on a Sunday at Queen St in that era.

In Kings Cross days the London portion to Fort William was BCK SLF SLS - i.e. seated coach next to the van at the front, but once the transfer to Euston had taken place it became SLF SLS SK or TSO BCK (sleepers next to the van) meaning one of the BSKs had to be dropped from the Glasgow portion to maintain length and weight. Once the RB had been replaced by an RMB, and the ScR had received an allocation of BFKs, BSK,CK, RB were replaced by BFK RMB reducing the load to 8 with similar seating capacity..

On Summer Saturdays there were two additional SLS and an additional TSO from Kings Cross meaning the portion had to run independently from Edinburgh (03.45) to Fort William (and the 06.00 could be strengthened by 1 TSO), and this practice continued in the early Euston years (extra 2 SLS but no extra TSO) with the usual 04.22 Mossend to Queen St becoming 04.22 Mossend to Fort William. It is also worth noting in the 60's the Kings X portion ran independently from Edinburgh at 03.45 every day although with only a single coach added at Edinburgh as strenthening.

Southbound the summer Sats strengthening resulted in an 11 coach formation from Fort William (I do recall seeing it with 12 on at least one occasion), and was routed via Glasgow Queen St Low Level thence via Springburn on to Edinburgh - when running to Euston that portion was detached at Cowlairs on the way into Queen St High Level, and summer strengthen from (Fri night) and to (Sat) Euston ceased in the late 1970s.

Having dealt with the West Highland (no doubt in too much detail for some) I will return with some (briefer) notes re Kyle and Far North workings when time permits this afternoon.

 

[Cowley]

After a day offline it is a return to action for the evocative subject of the type 2s era in the Highlands.

Although the topic subject is the 1980s, part of the discussion has been around type2s which by the 1980s were on the way out as traction on these routes

There has been mention of maximum loads in passenger service and quite rightly include 1970s examples of load 9 to the Far North and to quote @D6130 'eight-and-a-half' on the 06.00 from Queen St.

Timing loads were typically calculated as number of coaches x 35, 35 being an average weight for a Mk1 coach (excluding sleepers and diners), with individual weights generally between 33 and 37 tons, the heavier examples being those fitted with commonwealth bogies. sleepers and diners being around 5t heavier.

Thus although the 06.00 was 'eight-and-a-half', in weight terms it was nine, an extra 5 tons each for the RB, SLF and SLS, and 17t (Wiki) for the PMV or CCT. Strangely although the 73/74 Marshalling book states the load as '9/314', the footnotes state 'must not exceed 9 vehicles/300 tons'. By 76/77 this had been amended to 'must not exceed 9 vehicles leaving Glasgow' followed by '(315t Timing Load)'. As stated above most other West Highland trains were max load 8 /280 although a couple of trains were 7/245, including the 16.38 from Queen St which was 14 minutes faster to Fort William than the 06.00 reflecting faster acceleration and climbing. @D6130 notes a 1973 instance of a 9 coach excursion, and ten years earlier the ill fated 'Jacobite' promoted as the 'last steam train on the West Highland' formed of 9 coaches returned from Mallaig behind a single class 27 throughout leaving a trail of failed steam locos in behind. Also, I have noted in a previous thread an August 1978 instance where a single class 27 went forward from Corrour with load 11 following two class 27 failures, whilst this would undoubtedly lose time in acceleration and on the climbs to County March and Glen Douglas summits, the load of just over 400t was within the known capabilities of a class 27 as it was slightly less than the maximum load for a class 27 on freight.

I suspect the 9 max. reflected the need to have the van platformed for loading at Queen St, it was off the platform at most stations and only conveyed traffic for Crianlarich and Fort William, intermediate and Mallaig line traffic being in the two BSKs and there was no scope to strengthen this train (see Summer Sats below). In the same era the Sunday 18.10 to Aberdeen was booked load 10 with the leading TSO off the platform at Queen St and slightly later the Sunday 08.10 to Aberdeen acquired an Inverness portion and was load 11, proving Queen St could handle longer trains albeit there was only the hourly Edinburgh plus occasional Aberdeen/Dundee or Inverness trains on a Sunday at Queen St in that era.

In Kings Cross days the London portion to Fort William was BCK SLF SLS - i.e. seated coach next to the van at the front, but once the transfer to Euston had taken place it became SLF SLS SK or TSO BCK (sleepers next to the van) meaning one of the BSKs had to be dropped from the Glasgow portion to maintain length and weight. Once the RB had been replaced by an RMB, and the ScR had received an allocation of BFKs, BSK,CK, RB were replaced by BFK RMB reducing the load to 8 with similar seating capacity..

On Summer Saturdays there were two additional SLS and an additional TSO from Kings Cross meaning the portion had to run independently from Edinburgh (03.45) to Fort William (and the 06.00 could be strengthened by 1 TSO), and this practice continued in the early Euston years (extra 2 SLS but no extra TSO) with the usual 04.22 Mossend to Queen St becoming 04.22 Mossend to Fort William. It is also worth noting in the 60's the Kings X portion ran independently from Edinburgh at 03.45 every day although with only a single coach added at Edinburgh as strenthening.

Southbound the summer Sats strengthening resulted in an 11 coach formation from Fort William (I do recall seeing it with 12 on at least one occasion), and was routed via Glasgow Queen St Low Level thence via Springburn on to Edinburgh - when running to Euston that portion was detached at Cowlairs on the way into Queen St High Level, and summer strengthen from (Fri night) and to (Sat) Euston ceased in the late 1970s.

Having dealt with the West Highland (no doubt in too much detail for some) I will return with some (briefer) notes re Kyle and Far North workings when time permits this afternoon.

Brilliant stuff @Cheshire Scot. Please add as much detail as you want.

 

[Taunton]

'must not exceed 9 vehicles leaving Glasgow'

I think fitting in a platform at Queen Street, with a loco at each end (and you would need one at each end to give a banker up to Cowlairs with such a load), would be more of an issue. The only platform I recall that came close to that without fouling the points would be No 7. on the east side, normally used for Aberdeen services.

 

[Cheshire Scot]

Before I move on to the lines north from Inverness it is worth mentioning double heading on the 06.00 from Queen St. Pairs of 27s were provided from time to time, sometimes for days or weeks on end but randomly reverting to just the single 27 which was what the timing load required. I do wonder if provision this was down to any or all of; during a period of poor performance / a surplus of class 27s / the whims of the night shift traction controller.

For a period prior to class 37 introduction a regular combination on the 06.00 was class 27 plus class 20 - several Eastfield class 20s were through steam piped, and this pairing also featured in the 1960s as video (cine) and photographs from this period show. CL27 + 20 was also the regular power on the up Summer Saturday 11 coach sleeper in the early/mid 70s, although by the late 70s 2x27 was the norm.

North of Inverness the 9 coach 06.15 from Inverness has been noted above with 4 BGs - although BGs in tare were slightly lighter than coaches these were filled with parcels, mail, newspapers (a fairly heavy commodity), also bakery products from Inverness to the many Highland villages which did not have a local bakery. In the early 70s the load for this train was 7 winter and 8 summer including 3 BGs but the later addition of the 4th BG brought the summer load up to 9, still normally single headed.

Other Far North trains were typically 5, 6 or 7 coaches whilst the norm on the Kyle line was typically between 3 and 6 coaches. The summer 78 Marshalling book however shows the mid morning train from Inverness to Kyle as 8/280 in summer and the evening return as 9/315 - in earlier years this evening train also conveyed 9 but included several 4 wheel PMV/CCTs and so remained within 280 timing load.

The Kyle line has steeper gradients than the Far North with quite a few admittedly fairly short stretches of 1 in 50 - the various 1 in 53 /55/ 57 / 58 sections on the West Highland are typically longer, often for several miles, and west of Glenfinnan there are some gradients steepr than 1 in 50. In the 70s six was normally the maximum load to Mallaig, restricted by the length of the runround there. I note The Jacabite runs with 7 these days although whether this is due to a slight lengthening - e.g. a planned renewal in a slightly different position, or a tightening of the clearance allowances at either end of the loop I do not know. In earlier years the runround was longer as the tracks continued (as far as I recall ungated) over the public road and onto the pier, giving a longer runround. .