| Leaving Carlisle Citadel, the Caledonian Main Line sets forth past the site of the once-huge steam depot at Kingmoor; such is the effect of nearly 40 years of tree growth that the casual observer would have no idea it ever existed! Its site, on the up site prior to the DRS depot, is in fact now a nature reserve.
Once past Kingmoor Yard, which never lived up to its potential, the line passes through dense woods which precede Floriston level crossing, shortly afterwards traversing the River Esk, before passing the site of Gretna station, and the Scottish border. At this point, travellers on a northbound train in the charge of Polmadie TM Bill Macpherson would inevitably be regaled with "Ladies and Gentlemen, Welcome to Scotland" in his unmistakeable rich Glaswegian burr! By now the line is climbing, and passes loops at Quintinshill, forever notorious as the site of this country's worst ever rail disaster, a horrific four-way smash due to the signalmen's inattention, in May 1915, which claimed 227 lives. With line speed back to 100mph, the former stations of Kirkpatrick Fleming, Kirtlebridge and Ecclefechan are passed en route to Lockerbie. From here the line speed is 110mph for hauled stock, and as such this was another racing ground for Polmadie drivers on their way home, who would on occasion let their charge run until the needle was off the speedometer passing Nethercleugh and Dinwoodie, prior to the neutral section at Murthat. By the former station at Beattock, once the junction for a branch to Moffat, line speed is down to 100mph. The bridge at the north end of the station marks the start of ten miles of unrelenting climb, the line clinging to the hillside at grades varying from 1 in 88 to as stiff as 1 in 69 - the notorious Beattock Bank. This would in steam days necessitate banking assistance for all but the lightest trains, though since electrification it would be a poor Class 87 which would not maintain 90mph at least with a standard Mk3 rake in tow. Once over the summit, a brief downhill spurt past Bodsbury Crossing takes the train past Elvanfoot, where a line once diverged west down the beautiful and tranquil valley to Wanlockhead. The WCML now follows the Clyde Valley, sweeping round 90mph curves through beautiful scenery as the closed stations at Crawford and Abington are passed. By Lamington, speeds are once again into three figures, and can easily surpass 110mph passing Thankerton, prior to crossing the recently-renewed Float Viaduct which announces imminent arrival at Carstairs. The course of an avoiding line south of the station can be seen, which joined up with the line to Edinburgh over Cobbinshaw Summit. Carstairs itself is now a shadow of former times, the only loco-hauled trains booked to call being the overnights, whose Edinburgh and Glasgow portions attach and separate here. Heading north, the line climbs briefly past Ravensruther (pronounced 'Renstrie'!) Coal Terminal and thereafter ever downgrade past numerous former stations into Strathclyde. The vast open spaces east of Law Jn and Garriongill are sad testament to a once-thriving Scottish steel industry, now long gone. Motherwell, as always, is a busy junction, with local EMUs scurrying about; the main line continues on over Logan's Road crossing, where on the down side the Motherwell Bridge premises were recently demolished. Heading through suburban Glasgow, the line passes Polmadie Depot before plunging into Eglinton Street Tunnel, to emerge into daylight traversing a myriad junctions prior to crossing the River Clyde and entering the magnificent Caledonian Railway terminus of Glasgow Central. Had one been lucky enough to be aboard The Royal Scot one day in the early 1990s, 87016 would have been recorded arriving here a mere 4 hours 44 minutes after leaving Euston, 401.2 miles to the south. A quite magnificent railway; not for nothing did the LNWR proudly boast of being 'The Premier Line'..... |
Still sporting BR blue but equipped with the cables which permitted driver-guard communication via the RCH (and which would in time be used for TDM operation), 86206 City of Stoke on Trent stands in Glasgow Central in February 1986 having arrived from London Euston. |
A 28mm lens on my trusty Minolta distorts the cab of 85022 slightly as it stands at Glasgow Central in charge of 1V98 to Birmingham and Paddington, in February 1986. The same loco and train feature in another shot later in this gallery. |
In June 1990, 85018 makes a fine sight under the magnificent overall roof at Glasgow Central, having arrived with a van train. |
The light is fast fading on a freezing cold Ferbruary afternoon in 1986, as 85022 whisks its train, 1V98, towards Mossend East Jn. My thanks are due to Polmadie driver Robin Ralston for identifying the location; I had little idea where this shot was taken, as my route knowledge of the West Coast was minimal at the time - unlike now! |
86222, erstwhile Fury, emerges from the tunnel into Edinburgh Waverley, at the head of 1S48, 09:05 from Birmingham, in May 1998. |
Reflected in a pool of water on the platform at Edinburgh Waverley, 86222 runs back on to 1M33, 14:40 to Birmingham, in May 1998. Even "Clothes Show Live" - a quite ridiculous title for a locomotive - would be welcome these days! |
86239 L S Lowry waits to take over 1M47 to Birmingham, perfectly positioned for the camera. The location......? Carstairs. |
Slightly blurred but it had to be included; 86247 stands at Glasgow Central after arrival on 1S57, The Royal Scot, in 2003. Despite being late at Preston, some fine driving by the Polmadie man saw a punctual arrival in Scotland. |
April 1994, and while returning from a trip to MC Metals to collect a piece of scrap Class 85 (!), a stop was made at a very rarely photogrpahed WCML location - Dinwoodie. The view from the bridge at this location, a few miles north of Lockerbie on the Caledonian Main Line, is quite magnificent, with the Scottish lowlands making a lovely backdrop. During the period when it was active on XC services rather than West Coast diagrams, 86247 Abraham Darby is seen racing past the former station, in charge of 1V98, the train being bound for Birmingham and ultimately Paddington with diesel haulage. |
86251 The Birmingham Post stands at the head of 1M35, 17:10 to Birmingham New St, at Edinburgh Waverley, in May 1998. |
86258 Talyllyn stands at Glasgow Central at the head of 1M47 to Birmingham, some time in early 1988. |
87006, having failed departing Euston with 1S47, 06:20 to Glasgow, in June 2002, was rescued by res 86424. However, rather than use the 86 to remove the dead 87 and allow it to be repaired (thereby lightening the load for the 86...), 424 was simply tied on the front and sent north. With the many standing starts which characterised 1S47, even more time was consequently lost, the train arriving in Glasgow (where this shot was taken) after it should have left on 1M28! The errant 87 was finally removed upon arrival in Euston, though no other traction was available, and 86424 was reattached for 1C25, starting out over an hour late. Only on the West Coast...!! |
86426 waits to set forth from Glasgow Central on an overnight parcels turn in 1994. |
Photographed through a 300mm telephoto lens, an unidentified pair of Class 86/6s are seen toiling up Beattock Bank in the early morning at Greskine, with an overnight liner train, in August 2003. |
A broadside view of the same pair of 86/6s heading up Beattock, at Greskine. The whine of the hard-worked traction motors could be clearly heard across the valley! |
Magnificent.... 87001 STEPHENSON stands in Glasgow Central after arriving with 1S55. |
87002 stands on a dull morning August 2004 at Carlisle, top'n'tailing 1M08 06:10 Glasgow - Birmingham with 87032. Due to the usual WCML engineering shambles, nothing ran south of Birnimgham that weekend, and 87-hauled diagrams were in short supply. |
Heading into the August sunset at the head of 1S83 in 2002, 87003 Patriot cruises round the 90mph curves past Round Hill and Raggengill Hill, between Crawford and Abington on the Caledonian main line. |
87005 City of London stands at the head of 1M11, at Glasgow Central, in 1994. This machine was scrapped at MoD Caerwent in October 2005: RIP. |
A dull day weatherwise; but this is one of my favourite shots, and one of my favourite machines. 87005 City of London, seen after arriving on 1S55 at Glasgow Central in a rare moment when no suburban units obscured the view. |
Probably my favourite shot ever of the West Coast Main Line - despite being taken through a telephoto lens which reveals the limitations of the film's definition.... At a time when Class 87 reliability left much to be desired, with EWS skodas being drafted in to make up the numbers, they were rare north of the border. After a long wait in the car, with the weather changing by the minute, patience was rewarded as the sun broke through just as 87007 City of Manchester appeared on 1S75, in August 2003. The location is just north of Crawford, in the Clyde Valley - a quite magnificent vista which to me typifies this incomparable railway. |
An epic WCML farce led to this shot: 1M18, the first Glasgow-Euston, with 87010 King Arthur powering, found itself suddenly in dire trouble after a brake pipe ruptured between coaches, causing the train to come to a sudden screeching halt at Crawford - not a position of strength! The train was "assisted" by some 47 on a freight, as far as Beattock Summit up loop, to clear the line. By this time the fitters had arrived by road (!) from Polmadie, but little could be done. Whilst the minutes dragged by, I was 'withered' as 1M02, 09:10 Edinburgh - International, passed with 87009 City of Birmingham in charge! Such a working was exceptionally rare at the time as the first nine Sevens were all in the IWSA pool, dedicated exclusively to overnight sleeper diagrams. |
One of the most beautiful locations on the Caledonian main line - the River Clyde viaduct just north of the former station at Crawford. Having arrived in time to see a skoda pass (again!) on 1S55, I sat down to await The Royal Scot. In the intervening couple of hours the weather improved steadily, and the sun was almost out when 87011 cruised past, albeit rather late, on 1S57, and I had my shot. |
During a period of respite after already being retired at least once, 87028, now minus its Lord President nameplates, stands in Glasgow Central after arriving with 1S85, 16:30 from Euston. in August 2004. To the best of my knowledge this was the only time this machine worked to Glasgow in 2004; the following night, it was in trouble, overheating on arrival at Preston with 1S90, on a very hot and humid evening. The 57 which rescued it fared little better, however, sitting down at Plumpton, a few miles north of Penrith. 87028's pantograph was raised and it pushed the dead 57 down the hill into Carlisle Citadel, where the train was cancelled, some 90 minutes late! |
