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HISTORY
In the autumn of 1997 the first Highland Rail Festival was launched. A locomotive and coaching stock from the West Coast Railway Company’s ‘Jacobite’ trains on the Fort William-Mallaig line in summer, were utilised. The locomotive was the BR Standard 4 No 75014. The tours went from Fort William to Glasgow, then over the Highland mainline to Inverness, crossing Druimuachdar Pass, at 1,484 ft the highest on any mainline in Britain. From Inverness, with the assistance of the Friends of the Kyle Line, excursions were run to Kyle of Lochalsh, the famous route which featured in ‘The Great Railway Journeys of the World’ on TV. In 1998 a more venturesome programme was planned - to Wick and Thurso over the Far North Line with BR Class 8F 2-8-0 No 48151, carrying the name ‘Gauge O Guild’. The special train set off from Inverness but the freight engine could not maintain line speed. The trip became a marathon lagging 2˝ hours behind schedule. The following day, after a shuttle between Thurso and Wick, the train returned to Inverness. It had been an epic of over 350 miles with the first steam engine to traverse the Far North Line in almost forty years. For 1999 Highland Railway Heritage’s breakthrough was to bring steam hauled excursions back to Oban again - another ‘first’ after more than three decades. This time the BR Standard Class 4 was joined by a B1in LNER green livery as No 1264. Oban was once a stronghold of the Caledonian Railway and so interest was centred on the finely engineered line known as the Callander & Oban route, part of which survives from Crianlarich to Oban. After local trips between Oban and Taynuilt, the two engines left for Glasgow. To mark the Millennium in 2000, Highland Railway Heritage promoted an ambitious programme. Leaving Fort William, the focus became Oban, with No 75014 doubleheading with No 61264; then came the run south to Stirling. After short trips to Perth, the pair set off over the Highland main line for Inverness - the first steam engines to work in tandem on the route in almost forty years. From Inverness the B1 took out an excursion to Aberdeen - another ground breaking venture. The following day the Standard Class 4 repeated its successful foray on the Kyle line. Both engines subsequently returned the train to Stirling, having covered over 1,000 miles marked by superlative running. In 2001, the centenary of the Mallaig Extension was celebrated by a day of 'plandampf' when the B1 No 61264 and K1 No 62005 took over the schedule of ScotRail service trains between Fort William and Mallaig. This was done with great success and an abundance of passengers. It was a 'first' for preserved steam anywhere in Britain and the highlight of the rail festival that year. Oban was also visited and a 'Teddy Bears' Treat' formed a special excursion for children to Taynuilt. The following year, the same locomotives were in action on lines around Fort William. The culmination again saw double heading when they returned south via Crianlarich, Motherwell and Carlisle to Oxenholme. Since 1999, 26D Rail Re-Creations, led by Bob Branch, had devised photo charters around the time of the Highland Rail Festival. These unique events took railway photographers to places that were difficult to access except by special train. Since 2003 engines have carried names and numbers of former class mates associated with the West Highland line. Highland Railway Heritage has arranged exhibitions, film shows and study tours for enthusiasts and members of the public on these occasions. Recently Highland Railway Heritage has also supported NELPG photo charter activities in the Fort William area In 2005 the premier event in the Scottish steam calendar saw former Class 5 BR No 45407, carrying the name Lancashire Fusilier, back in the Highlands on 3 October when it took an excursion for the Railway Touring Company from Glasgow Queen Street to Fort William. The purpose was to release B1 No 61264 for duties in England. First, however, the B1 hauled the excursion train on to Mallaig. On 4 October, that engine caused something of a sensation when it drew the train up to the buffer stops in Glasgow Queen Street, the first steam loco to arrive there in many years. In 2006, the Jacobite tour was repeated by the Railway Touring Company with a Class 5 , K1 and 8F doing the honours. In 2007, the Railway Touring Company again organised an excursion from Glasgow on 1-2 September along the West Highland Line using the K4 2-6-0 No 61994 which is now in the ownership of John Cameron. HISTORIC SCENES by A E Glen
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