British Rail in 80's Scottish Bash - February 1988

An epic tour of Scotland during Winter 1988. The first scene taken at Glasgow Queen Street with an supeb run up Cowlairs bank with a push pull 47/7. The next sequence at Queen Street was taken during an overnight move from Crewe. The journey continues in the snow along the West Highland main line, terminating at Fort William. I then hopped the Mallaig service which was hauled by an ETH fitted class 37. Unfortunately, when I arrived in Mallaig, my plan to take the ferry to the Isle of Skye, a bus across Skye to Kyleakin, for another ferry to the Kyle of Lochalsh was scuppered. This was due to the ferry being cancelled between Mallaig and Armaghdale. I therefore had no choice but to grab brunch at the Seamans Mission in Mallaig (80p for a two course meal!!!) and then return to Fort William, to catch a bus via Fort Augustus to Inverness. I made the Kyle bound train at Inverness with seconds to spare!!! I bailed off at Garve to get the train I was due to catch from Kyle of Lochalsh! This put me back on schedule, and I'd bagged an additional run behind a 37 as well!! It was at Garve I got chatting to the driver who was due to relieve the Kyle driver, who I discovered had worked with a friend of mine from Saltley depot, Birmingham, but was now based in Inverness. His name was John Bloore and he invited me into the cab for a cab ride back to Inverness! John can be seen reversing the 37 out of Inverness station . As we both expressed a liking for beer, I invited John to join me for a few jars after he had booked off, and we ended up at the Phoenix bar, close to the station. Chatting about trains and drinking 80 shilling ale resulted in a splendid evening indeed! We then parted company and I set off on the overnight class 47 hauled mail train back to Edinburgh, where this video also terminates.

[@train4905]

Dear sir ,thankyou so much indeed for posting this video,please forgive my going of subject slightly.but i would like to say,a huge thankyou,for posting the videos of the snow scenes. ,my late mum absolutely loved the scottish mountains,when they had snow on them,i scattered her ashes 4 years ago.over the cobler in scotland in arrowcar, These scenes brought me some very happy memories back.thanku.

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Thanks for the feedback. I found reviewing this footage before editing brought it all back to me how much fun it was bashing in Scotland, particularly in the snow.

[@andrewoverton5170]

Brilliant footage. I only went far up north once in 87 to Wick. Can't for the life of me now think why I didn't do more. Really enjoyed the random basher abandoned in the snowy wilderness taking phots, in the middle of nowhere until the next train turned up.

[@Thornaby37]

Absolutely brilliant footage 👍 The days when we had real trains and real winters. One thing about those 1980s bashing trips was even when things went pear shaped, plan B could turn out to be just as good

[@PhilThomasTrains]

They were indeed happy days. One of the chaps that I travelled with on this journey actually worked at Tees yard. I forget the chaps name but he was travelling with the famous basher John Sandham.

[@Thornaby37]

@@PhilThomasTrains Incredible to think it is over a year since John Sandham sadly passed away. An absolute legend in the bashing community

[@BenDover-ln6ns]

@@Thornaby37john Sandham, didn’t know he had passed. What a legend he was, Worked on the railways at Paddington for a long while. Hope they gave him a good send off.

[@Thornaby37]

@@BenDover-ln6ns Just over two years since John Sandham passed away. Shortly afterwards on 5th July 2021, Branch Line Society ran a railtour named The Zuzzy Syphons as a tribute. Ironically the booked DRS 37s for this tour were replaced by DB 66s due to both 37 failing on the previous day's tour

[@EErail26]

Brilliant - thanks for posting. My first trip up the West Highland line was a few weeks before on 37424 (Saturday 6 February 1988)

[@fmnut]

Epic indeed. When I was there in 1985 they were just switching over from the 26's to the big arrow 37's. The sounds on your video are brilliant! Well done, mate!

[@PhilThomasTrains]

I was too late for 26's on passenger services unfortunately. but I did catch some of the steam heat 'syphons' out of Inverness in the mid 80's. Plenty of stills from then but sadly too early for video.

[@thomasshepard6030]

This brought back many memories I was a fireman out of eastfield traction depot springburn Glasgow drove many 37s from queen st to Oban on the west highland line and class 27 push & pull queen st to Waverley Edinburgh 1974

[@DistrictDriver]

Great video! I was hooked from the very first DMU coming out of the tunnel! The snowy scenes were fabulous!

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@christopherhood9241]

bloody awesome. brought back so many memories of days on freedom of Scotland tickets.

[@eiruggriffiths8491]

Absolutely brilliant seeing all the different types of desil engine's

[@peterhanahoe4913]

Very good Mr T.

[@Shelfandtabletoplayouts00gauge]

One of the best notes I’ve read, I can’t quite beat that !!!👍👍👍 Awesome video, I was there in ‘85👋

[@train4905]

I really enjoyed this thanku.exellent video.

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@yesterdaystracks]

Fantastic video especially loved the snow scenes and the generator overloads coming out of Rannoch 👌

[@HSTHoward]

Superb stuff!

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@aljonflavin6760]

Great enjoyed sights and sounds thanks, been on those lines myself but not in the 8tis.

[@airmax1973]

Great video there, including the ill fated 47713 which went on fire i think.

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Such a shame they still don't do their stuff on Scotrail anymore. greatly missed by all the bashers I keep in touch with. 100mph 47's - Magic!

[@GDGRailway47712]

713 went on fire in Haymarket tunnel in July 1988. It donated its push-pull gear and nameplates to what became 717.

[@ClydebridgeStation]

Great to see proper, push pull trains, on Scotrail Express work. Wouldn't it be great if a way was found, to have 47712 doing a push pull working today!

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Maybe one day. I'd love to re-live those happy days on Scotrail.

[@nickh4735]

Its happening shortly isnt it?!

[@ClydebridgeStation]

@@nickh4735 24th to 26th February

[@SimonTog]

Cool video Phil :)

[@RetiredDriver-e9r]

John Bloore Passed Away 31st December 1999

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Very sad. He was a really nice bloke.

[@PerthMRC]

A wonderful video, 477s, 37s in tbe snow a Leyland Leopard bus. Thanks for uploading. Was a bit confused by the date the title says Feb 87, the 477 near the start with the Eastfield logo says post October 87 (477s being transfered HA to ED in October 87) and the text says 88. Have my fingers crossed their is a sequel from the East Side featuring lots of action in and around Edinburgh.

[@PhilThomasTrains]

Thanks for the info. I think it was February 1988. I've lost my notes from this period but I know that I didn't acquire the camera until Autumn 1987 so it makes sense. Unfortunately I don't have a Scottish sequel, but look out for other footage from the same period which I will publish shortly.