Our 'Grande Depart' is just days away - real time train info query

[Dog Star]

As we have been advised that another trip to Le Mans is not going to go down well in 2017, then Peter and I have decided to visit the railways from Glasgow out to Mallaig, Fort William and Oban. I am expecting our trip to be in the first two weeks of July with a rough itinerary as:-

* Basingstoke to Newcastle via North Yorks Moors;
* Edinburgh for a couple of days taking in Bo'ness;
* Edinburgh to Aberdeen following the route of the A4s;
* Aberdeen to Fort William via Inverness;
* Fort William for a few days so that we can take a ride on the steam service and some lineside photos;
* Fort William to Glasgow via Oban;
* somewhere near to Glasgow for two days;
* Glasgow to Manchester;
* Manchester to Basingstoke.

Given the above, what places of industrial heritage ought we to put on our "to do" list? Hopefully, WTers (maybe @Bob-65B, @Silverystreaks and @lnerjp) can offer suggestions.

thank you, Graham

 

[Rob R]

Ben Nevis Distillery (Fort William) for one.

I've done a few distillery tours and this was the only one to let me take photos inside.

Rob

 

[Jordan]

Sounds a great tour! Can you do it about 30 years ago, please, & come back with lots of photos of proper, loco-hauled trains; Classes 26, 27 & 37.?

 

[Osgood]

There is a connection between Glasgow and a light railway in Suffolk:

If you find yourselves at a loose end in Glasgow, you might revel in the surviving cast iron delights of Walter Macfarlane's Saracen Foundry - Walter Macfarlane & Co (fl. 1850-1965), foundry, a biography

Here's a page from a 1900 catalogue (held I believe by the Glasgow Museum?):



If those letters look vaguely familiar, it is because they are the very ones used for the station name boards of the Mid Suffolk Light Railway:



I've been trying (without any luck so far) to identify the font/style/typeface used for these letters, and to obtain samples of the artwork for each (but I'm sure you'll have better things to do ).

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I was sailing from Mallaig to Kyle of Lochalsh last year on my neighbour's yacht.

You must at least travel on one of these...... even if for a round trip .


I travelled back to Preston on this from Inverness - The Caledonian Sleeper

 

[oldravendale]

What about a trip on PS Waverley which is around Glasgow through June and July?

Brian

 

[Dog Star]

Can you do it about 30 years ago, please, & come back with lots of photos of proper, loco-hauled trains; Classes 26, 27 & 37?

If we could... then we would want to listen to the 37s in the vicinity of Tarbet, not forgetting to record the wagon types in use at that time. Oh, and noting the running numbers of the Mk.1s and the upholstery within just so that Bob (@Bob-65B) can confirm things the way they were.

There is a connection between Glasgow and a light railway in Suffolk:
If you find yourselves at a loose end in Glasgow, you might revel in the surviving cast iron delights of Walter Macfarlane's Saracen Foundry - Walter Macfarlane & Co (fl. 1850-1965), foundry, a biography.

Interesting, I shall follow up on this suggestion.

What about a trip on PS Waverley which is around Glasgow through June and July?

Neat Brian, even if we do not manage a trip I think that we shall have to watch the Old Girl paddle by.

 

[SteadyRed]

Falkirk Wheel, whilst not really industrial heritage. It is interesting to see how engineers & architects in the 21st Century tackled what was done in the 19th Century by the designers of the Anderton Boat Lift.

The Falkirk Wheel | Scottish Canals

Anderton Boat Lift | Canal & River Trust

Dave

 

[oldravendale]

Dave's mention of the Anderton Boat Lift leads me to wonder (if you've not been there before) whether that would be a possibility on the way home, via Manchester. It's a bit out of your way unless you are driving, but if you've not seen it before it's another of those pieces of Victorian Engineering that will take your breath away. How the engineers ever came up with the concept in the first place is remarkable, let alone how they actually realised their conception. The story of the restoration is interesting too, and how remarkably close we came to losing it altogether.

It'll easily while away two or three hours, and the cafe was as reasonable as tourist spot cafes can be (said he without committing himself!) However, I have to admit to that being about five years ago, so some things might have changed.

Brian

 

[Rob R]

The Anderton Lift is ok but the new kid on the block in the Northwich area is the Lion Salt Works at Marston.
Nicely "conserved" rather than over restored.

Rob

 

[oldravendale]

Didn't know about that, Rob. Combined with the Anderton Lift that'd make a "Grand Day Out", although a bit far from deepest Buckinghamshire for a one day trip.

Brian

 

[Rob R]

Back on topic.

If you are going far enough north how about the last of the "turntable" ferries?

Skye Ferry: homepage

Even if you haven't the time for a crossing it is well worth watching whilst you have a brew.

If the "Boss" is going with you then a visit to Brittania may gain you some brownie points when you are in Edinburgh - that was my "trade" for doing Bo'ness

Rob

 

[Overseer]

Instead of going from Aberdeen through Glasgow to Fort William why not catch the train to Inverness then Kyle of Lochalsh. Catch the bus, route 51 I think, to Armadale on Skye then the CalMac ferry to Mallaig and train to Fort William?

The little ferry to Glenelg from Skye as suggested by Rob is also possible but you will probably have to hitch hike a bit of Skye to get to it. On the Glenelg side the brochs are well worth visiting. About 20 years ago I caught the Glenelg ferry after walking (mostly) from Mallaig. The first bit was a very small passenger ferry from Mallaig to Knoydart then walked across Knoydart through Kinloch Hourn to Glenelg. Knoydart is more isolated than most of the islands as there is no road access and no regular vehicle ferry. I don't think you mentioned walking as one of the activities for your trip so you probably won't want to walk the West Highland Way from Fort William to Milngavie. It is a very enjoyable 95 mile walk, quite fast going on some of General Wade's military roads but less so along the east shore of Loch Lomond.

Nobody has mentioned distilleries yet. Not sure if they interest you but they are as industrial as it gets in the Highlands and islands.

 

[auld_boot]

Another possible would be Summerlee Industrial museum near Glasgow.

 

[Ian@StEnochs]

The Scottish Industrial Railway centre could be an option and if you choose the appropriate date you could experience the only working fireless Locomotive in the UK.

Scottish Industrial Railway Centre Steam Days

 

[OzzyO]

So you are really going down the East coast and up the West coast!
Depending on your train times at Carlisle you could get a class 37 along the cost line to Barrow and depending on the day and time to Lancaster (the hanging city second only to London) or Preston.
Manchester, the science museum, steam locos including (last time I was there) a South African Garret built in Gorton Manchester. Some big mill engines that are powered by steam, it's also on the site of the "first" passenger railway station. Across the road you have the aircraft museum that has a Shackleton (derived from the Avro Manchester) in it and an E.E. Lightning.

OzzyO.

 

[oldravendale]

Good call, Ozzie. Manchester Science Museum is probably only second to London - in fact maybe even ahead of London as many of the engines work.

B

 

[adrian]

Across the road you have the aircraft museum that has a Shackleton (derived from the Avro Manchester) in it and an E.E. Lightning.

Well technically it is a development aircraft (P1A) - a technology demonstrator which led to the Lightning aircraft. So there are subtle differences, still impressive non the less. There was talk a year or so ago about the Air Hall closing at some point but it's been a little quiet about that since, so visit it now while there is still chance. The building itself is pretty impressive as well.

 

[oldravendale]

I agree about the building, Adrian. Shame if they are even considering closing it. Slap a listing on it now so they can't knock it down! I guess it's a knee jerk reaction to relatively small numbers of people through the doors, but they hardly make great efforts to advertise it's existence. Come to that neither does the wonderful Manchester Science Museum.

I suppose, even if listed, closure of the museum would allow conversion of the building in to a much needed coffee bar and restaurant facility.

Brian

 

[InvernessTMD]

More years ago than I care to remember (13 this year in fact!), I did a round trip from Northallerton over a week...
Day 1: Northallerton - Leeds - (Settle) - Carlisle - Glasgow,
Day 2: Glasgow - Oban,
Day 3: Oban - Crianlarich - Fort William,
Day 4: Fort William - Mallaig - (Ferry) - Armadale (then Taxi with 6 other strangers to Broadford for a bus to) - Kyle of Lochalsh,
Day 5: Kyle of Lochalsh - Inverness,
Day 6: I had a full day in Inverness to explore, as I didn't arrive until late on a Sunday,
Day 7: Inverness - Edinburgh - Newcastle - Northallerton.
Was done using singles and a Freedom of Scotland 8 in 15 rover which also included the Mallaig - Armadale ferry. The rover is valid from both Carlisle and Berwick upon Tweed as well, but for extra days you could buy tickets to/from Glasgow/Edinburgh.