West Highland, 1 Fort William - Mallaig

With the problems faced by WCRC in recent times its now highly unlikely that the photographers charter will ever run again. Here are some pictures taken during 'Charter week' over recent years, I made the conversion to digital in 2007 anything previous to that is still in the scanning queue!

 

The shot at Loch Nan Umah with 62005 facing Fort Bill was a superb day, lovely shot! I was down below at the viaduct and then made it to Corpach... magical day!
Loch Nan Uamh:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/insearchofsteam/14487773741/in/dateposted-public/
Corpach
https://www.flickr.com/photos/insearchofsteam/14304442848/in/dateposted-public/

 

I think we were very lucky with the sun there. It was under cloud all the way down Beasdale. I was very surprised I was the only one at the high level view, I asked fireman Pete James if he could get Alec to open up across the viaduct (they don't always) and that's him looking out of the cab.

 

Yes, nice from below the viaduct, and worth the 200yd dash in Wellies ! ( a certain NP member watching from the footplate !)
23rd Oct 2013


My final shot of the 2014 (last ?) charter, as the service started for the week 61994 sneaked off home. This is at Inverlair, Tulloch. 13th October as the charter was a week earlier than the penultimate weekend.


Meanwhile on the extension 45407 did the honours with the service



And from the final service day in 2012. 26th October.


For anyone who can make it it can be a magical time of year in the West Highlands, but don't forget the brolly and wellies just in case !

Scott

 

Scot I thought we must have been standing next to each other for this one but looking at the exhaust and cloud formation I think it was different day

 

Mine was on the Monday train John, I drove out to Tulloch for the K4 first and then had more than enough time to get back to Glenfinnan for the departure. Amazingly I was on my own at Tulloch.

Scott

 

Tulloch shot is lovely, well planned to hide the fact it was LE + Support coach too. Hopefully someone can resurrect the bash in some form or another!

 

One from 2008, One of the opportunities of the charter has been an afternoon run to Arisaig or Mallaig with the chance of superb lighting between the Beasdale tunnels. This isn't a charter run however but a late running service train on 8th October when due to a signallers strike the Jacobite left Fort William at 12:00 rather than the usual 10:20.

Looks like this is the loco rostered for the last week of the service this year.

Scott

 

Thanks - I try !
We're not alone in hoping something can be done in the future.

 

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We have Dave and Ben Collier to thank for that shot, they did a lot of "gardening" to open up the view there, similarly at Lochailort Rockface. You can still do Tulloch on the Saturday immediately after the end of the Jacobite season either with the returning empty stock or the SRPS special.

 

Wonderful photographs John. Last Thursday my wife and I rode from Fort William to Glenfinnan and back, taking lunch at the station dining car and being fortunate to have a display in the signal box of how the signalling system worked in semaphore days. With Scotrail on strike WCRC's two return trips were the only trains to be seen on the Mallaig line that day. Has WCRC ever before provided the sole timetabled service on a line?

 

John - you obviously missed the Network Rail inspection saloon ("Caroline" + DRS Class 37) that ran to Mallaig and back on Thursday morning. Although Scotrail were on strike on Sun/ Mon/ Thurs/ Sat, we actually only had the line to ourselves on the Sun/ Mon. Thurs was as noted and Sat had the Royal Scotsman on the line.

Peter James