West Highland Line first again

[rjhowie]

I was reading through a newspaper the other day in a tearoom here in Glasgow and I noticed that in a list of world railway lines the West Highland Rail Line from Glasgow (Queen Street) to Fort William and branch to Mallaig is rated the No 1 in the world for the second year running.

It really is a fantastic run through mountains and moors including the remote Rannoch Moor where the line was build over marshy ground. In the summer a special steam train adds extra vitality to the route normally worked of course by diesels. The scenery is something else and well worth a trip.

 

[tmz06003]

Yes and it's well worth the award!

I've had some wonderful trips over this route taking the 0450 sleeper service from Edinburgh Waverley and changing at Fort William for the last leg of the journey.

Of course we have an equally wonderful route in Trainz.

 

[UP5521]

thats great!

 

[Vern]

Good news is the rework of my Fort William to Mallaig section is on the DLS.

My TRS2006 version of Fort William to Crianlarich can be downloaded from Train-sim.com (it's over 50Mb file). Just loaded this in TS2010 the other night (see my Hidden Joys thread) and apart from a couple of wrinkles runs fine, plus the enhanced visual effects. The built in Class 26 stands in nicely for a Class 27 and there's some lovely Mark Ones off UK Classics to make up a consist. (Note to self, get on and buy S&C 2009 for the rest of the UK stuff).

Although I'm busy building a New Zealand line at present, I am planning to go forward with an extension of the WH route later in the year, initially down to Craigendoran/Dumbarton then on to Glasgow. The ultimate aim (over the next 18 months or so) would be to rebuild my Stranraer route, backfill that to Glasgow and link the two giving over 8 hours of travel in one direction assuming I tag Mallaig back on.

 

[tmz06003]

Excellent news Vern!

 

[rjhowie]

Yes the win for the West Highland yet again is deserved. First travelled on it as a young man with 3 others on a hiking tour of the Western Highlands then returned as young Lieut at a Boys' Brigade Camp at Morar next the famous white sands in stifling heat! Still recall that first trip from Glasgow and how impressive it looked.The other good news is as said here is we have part of the route on Trainz. That Vern is going to re-do the Stranarer up to Glasgow, etc is another good news.

Many years ago I rail enthusiast friend of mine found that the pre-1948 rail company - was it LNER? had produced a free book on the West Highland giving pictures and all sorts of info like heights, stations etc. They were lying in a cupboard in old railway offices spread through what looked like tenement buildings up near the old Buchanan St Station on Parliamentary Rd. Real old dusty rail offices spread through all those rambliing buildings. It was a brilliant find and I got a copy which I think is somewhere in my loft still. That it was free was an added bonus. It also gave info on the ill-fated branch up to Fort Augustus Pier which had been originally planned to go to Inverness. The Highland Railway ran out of money on completing the WH and leased it to the North British who eventually bought it. blocked it. Seems the original WH Railway ran out of money. Once the weather gets better I intend to go back up that line and wallow in the nostalgia and the breath taking scenery!

I must try the West Highland on Trainz now and look forward to that extra in due course from Vern!