This is a companion page to Far North Express 85, February 2022.

Links mentioned in the magazine and some extra material:

Bob Barnes-Watts Award

There was a discussion at our 2021 AGM about using some money we hold from a legacy to fund an annual award. This would be named in honour of Bob Barnes-Watts our very sadly missed and irreplaceable colleague. Bob was a transport expert with huge knowledge of both trains and buses. We are now looking for suggestions from members (and others) for appropriate projects to which to apply the award.

One of the suggestions from the FoFNL Committee is to use this to commission research and data gathering for matters relevant to the Far North Line, such as transport integration.

HML - New Structure

This impressive operation can be viewed as a time-lapse video on Network Rail's website.

We can't emphasise enough, especially after reading the STPR2 document, how pleased we are to see that the bridge is constructed for double track.

New Bridge on Construction Site

Cross Section Diagram of New Bridge Showing Double Track Provision

Personalised Pocket TTs

This is the link to the National Rail Enquiries pocket timetable page.

The Swiss Railways pocket timetable page can be found here.

Example of result for Tain to Elgin return

Caithness History

This amazing new building was built to hold the Nuclear and Caithness archives. Its website has links to two online exhibitions: Atomic Recreation and Atomic Housing.

A visit to the Wick Heritage Centre is highly recommended. There is probably too much to see for just one visit.

Nucleus Building

Nucleus Exhibition Area

One of Wick Heritage Centre's Exhibition Rooms

Scapa Flow Museum

This is an article about the renovation work at the Scapa Flow Museum on Hoy in Orkney

The museum's website contains the latest information.

Pop-Up Stalls

Here are the links to the websites of four organisations mentioned on this page:

• Listening Ear Caithness
• Mikeysline
• Railway Mission
• James Support Group

Blue Pullman

This is a chance to get a close look at the original Blue Pullman.

Western Pullman at Paddington on 5 September 1962. Photo: David Christie

Disaster Averted

This is such a remarkable photo that it's worth the chance to see a bigger version.

Peat extraction machine being delivered in 1954

Altnabreac Achievement

Full size site layout plan gives a closer look at the arrangements.

View of Altnabreac Station and Loading Area

Clean and Green

Ian Brown's article can be read in full on page 12 of this issue of Railwatch.

User Errors

Here's a close up view of the proposed pictograms:

Proposed pictogram-based signs (examples based on research and trials)

These views show three crossings in detail:

Core Path IN19.24 at S Kessock level crossing towards SW	Core Path IN19.24 at S Kessock level crossing towards NE	Core Path IN19.24 at S Kessock level crossing looking NE	Core path IN19.10 at Clachnaharry no2 level crossing - portage sign
Core path IN19.10 at Clachnaharry no2 level crossing looking SE	Core path IN19.10 at Clachnaharry no2 level crossing looking NW	Core path IN19.10 at Clachnaharry no1 level crossing looking N	Core path IN19.10 at Clachnaharry no1 level crossing looking NW
Core path IN19.10 at Clachnaharry no1 level crossing looking SE	Public Road U2013 at Foulis Level Crossing - signage	Public Road U2013 at Foulis Level Crossing looking NW	Public Road U2013 at Foulis Level Crossing looking SE

Request For Information

There is a mention of the McCreath & Taylor's business at Lentran in the book Lost Stations on the Far North Line by Keith Fenwick, Neil T Sinclair and Richard Ardern. This is published by the Highland Railway Society and can be purchased from their website.

"At Lentran, a siding off the northbound line led to McCreath & Taylor's tar plant, a noisy place with steam boilers to keep the tar hot. Jimmy Arthur worked at the Tar Depot between 1956 and 1971 and recalls that anything between four and seven tankers came in daily from Grangemouth; they were delivered on the day following order. The depot supplied four to five road tankers which went all over to Skye, Wick and Aberdeenshire at 20 mph. It took four hours to get to Wick but he was caught speeding once between Golspie and Brora! The tar traffic continued for some years after the station was closed for general freight traffic."