20th - 23rd April 1962

Branch Line Society / Stephenson Locomotive Society (Scottish Area)
The Scottish Rambler

Locos Used

CR 123, NBR 256 'Glen Douglas', HR 103, GNSR 49 'Gordon Higlander', 46463, 46464, 54465, 56347, 64786, D5339 (6), D8028
Stock Used

20/04 : 2x preserved CR coaches
21/04 - 23/04 : 5 x Mk 1's, inc. RB

Route : ran under ScR internal 3-figure reporting numbers;
20/04 : 123
21/04 : A97
22/04 : ???
23/04 : 220

Date Loco(s) Route
20/04 CR 123

Glasgow Central (2) - Shields Road - Paisley Gilmour Street - Elderslie - Lochwinnoch - Dalry Jn - Crosshouse - (2) Kilmarnock - Mauchline - Auchinleck - Lugar - Cronberry - Muirkirk
20/04 CR 123 Muirkirk - Cronberry - Skares - Belston Jn - Drongan - Annbank - Mossblown Jn - Ayr
20/04 CR 123

Ayr - Troon Goods - Barassie - Drybridge - Kilmarnock
20/04 CR 123

Kilmarnock (2) - Stewarton - Lugton - Barrhead - Busby Jn - (2) Strathbungo Jn - Gorbals Jn - Clyde Jn - Glasgow St Enoch 15.00a (3)
21/04 ????? (3) Glasgow - ??? - Inverness (service trains)
21/04 HR 103 Inverness - Nairn - Forres - Alves Jn - Alves
21/04 HR 103 Alves – Alves Jn - Burghead
21/04 HR 103 Burghead – Alves Jn - Alves - Elgin - Orbliston
21/04 HR 103 Orbliston – Fochabers Town
21/04 HR 103 Fochabers Town - Orbliston – Keith
21/04 HR 103 Keith – Aultmore
21/04 HR 103 Aultmore – Keith
21/04 HR 49 Keith – Insch - Inveramsay
21/04 HR 49 Inveramsay – Turriff
21/04 HR 49 Turriff – Inveramsay – Inverurie
21/04 HR 49 Turriff – Inveramsay – Inverurie – Old Meldrum
21/04 HR 49 Old Meldrum – Inverurie – Kintore
21/04 HR 49 Kintore – Alford
21/04 HR 49 Alford – Kintore - Dyce - Kittybrewster - Aberdeen Waterloo
22/04 D8028 Aberdeen – Stonehaven – Kinnaber Jn – Dubton – Bridge of Dun – Brechin
22/04 D8028 Brechin – Brechin North Jn - Edzell
22/04 D8028 Edzell – Brechin North Jn - Brechin
22/04 D8028 Brechin - Bridge of Dun – Dubton – Broomfield Jn – Montrose (CR)
22/04 D8028 Montrose (CR) – Broomfield Jn – St Cyrus – Inverbervie
22/04 D8028 Inverbervie – St Cyrus – Broomfield Jn – Montrose
22/04 46463 + 46464 Montrose – Arbroath - Elliot Junction – Carmyllie
22/04 46463 + 46464 Carmyllie – Elliot Junction
22/04 46463 + 46464 Elliot Junction – Carnoustie - Dundee Tay Bridge
22/04 64786 Dundee Tay Bridge – Tay Bridge South Jn - St Fort – Lindores
22/04 64786 Lindores – St Fort
22/04 64786 St Fort - Leuchars Junction – Ladybank (4) - ?Markinch – Auchmuty Jn - Leslie
22/04 64786 Leslie – Auchmuty Jn - Markinch? – (4) Ladybank – Newburgh – Perth
23/04 54465 + 56347 Perth – Strathord - Bankfoot
23/04 54465 + 56347 Bankfoot – Strathord
23/04 54465 Strathord – Stanley - Coupar Angus
23/04 54465 Coupar Angus - Blairgowrie
23/04 54465 Blairgowrie – Coupar Angus - Kirriemuir Jn - Forfar South Jn - Forfar
23/04 54465 Forfar - Forfar South Jn - Tannadice - Careston (5)
23/04 54465 Careston – Tannadice - Forfar South Jn - Forfar – Forfar North Jn - Guthrie Jn - Frockheim Jn - Leysmill (5)
23/04 54465 Leysmill - Frockheim Jn - Guthrie Jn - Forfar North Jn - Forfar
23/04 D5339 (6) Forfar – Forfar South Jn - Kirriemuir Jn - Kirriemuir
23/04 D5339 (6) Kirriemuir – Kirriemuir Jn
23/04 D5339 (6) Kirriemuir Jn – Alyth Junction (7)
23/04 D5339 (8) (6) Alyth Junction - Newtyle Jn - Newtyle [1831 station]
23/04 D5339 (6) Newtyle [1831 station] – Newtyle Jn - Alyth Junction - Alyth
23/04 D5339 (6) Alyth – Alyth Junction - Cupar Angus - Stanley – Perth
23/04 NBR 256 Perth – Almond Valley Jn - Methven Junction - Methven
23/04 NBR 256 Methven – Methven Junction
23/04 NBR 256 Methven Junction – Crieff – Gleneagles – Perth
23/04 NBR 256 Crieff – Gleneagles – Perth
23/04 NBR 256 Gleneagles – Hilton Jn - Perth

Notes :
(1) This was the first of what were to be six successive annual Scottish Ramblers, run each Easter by the BLS and others. It was advertised as 'a railtour designed to give railway enthusiasts from all parts of the country a chance of seeing the northern Scottish lines in one weekend'. The fare for the four days was £7 15s (£7.75)!
(2) Booked route on the outward leg was: Glasgow Central - Muirhouse Central Jn - Cathcart West Jn - Whitecraigs - Neilston High - Lugton East Jn - Lugton - Stewarton - Kilmarnock, however due to a signalling error the train was routed via Shields Road. After a 4min stop there the train proceeded without a pre-arranged path as indicated via Paisley Gilmour Street. On the return leg the originally uploaded route was: Kilmarnock - Crosshouse - Dalry - Lochwinnoch - Elderslie - Paisley Canal - Corkerhill - Strathbungo Jn, however it is reported the train went via the Ayrshire & Lanarkshire and Lugton.
 (3) Tour participants were advised to travel to Inverness for the next day's leg of the tour; by either the 16.25 service train (44996 on load 11 to Perth then bolstered by the Edinburgh portion to 15 coaches, hauled by D5128+D5324 to Inverness) or the 23.15 overnight sleeper from Buchanan Street (traction confirmation for the sleeper is required).
(4) Confirmation is needed that the advertised visit to the Leslie branch was omitted (it is not mentioned in a BLS book covering their first 40 years, or the SLS review in their in-house magazine, thus it would appear it did not happen).
 (5) The SLS report of this tour states that reversals took place at Careston (not Tannadice) and Leysmill (not Colliston).
 (6) An RCTS photo list gives this loco as D5336 - photographed at Kirriemuir and Alyth Junction - however an SLS review of the trip states (several times) the loco to have been D5339 which is thus believed correct.
(7) An SLS report of this tour reports 'after some maneuvering at Alyth Junction, D5339 cautiously propelled us into the original 1831 station at Newtyle...'. Details of the movements made at Alyth Junction are required.
(8) Loco propelling.

Sources : Andrew Fairholm, Gary Thornton, Leonard Rogers & Gas Hill (BLS)

Photo Review


103 sits in the spring sunshine at Forres on April 21st.
(Photo by G N Turnbull İTOPticl Digital Memories - see
www.TOPticl.com for further details and a chance to buy a full size copy)


D8028 at Lauriston (above) and St Cyrus (below) on April 22nd.
(Photo by G N Turnbull İTOPticl Digital Memories - see
www.TOPticl.com for further details and a chance to buy a full size copy)


46463 at Carmyllie on 22nd April.
(Photo by G N Turnbull İTOPticl Digital Memories - see
www.TOPticl.com for further details and a chance to buy a full size copy)


From Andrew Fairholms ticket collection.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


From Andrew Fairholms ticket collection.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Ian Clark (SLS))

Date Location Booked Actual
20/04 Glasgow Central 09.25d (09.25)
21/04 Inverness 07.30d 07.49


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