This is a companion page to Far North Express 93, September 2024.

IMPORTANT CORRECTION:
Far North Line 150th Anniversary

On page 3 the dates for the photographic exhibition in Thurso are incorrect. It will run from Wednesday 16th October to Saturday 19th.

Links mentioned in the magazine:

FNL 150 - Forsinard - P5

Arrivals at Forsinard

Helmsdale School Musical Greeting

Awaiting the Train Back to Forsinard

AGM & Conference 2024 - P6

• The full story of Roger French meeting Tony Burton on their record attempt on Land's End to John o' Groats by public transport is available on Roger's "Bus & Train User" blog.
• The story was also told in one of Geoff Marshall's (of "All the Stations" fame) videos.

Conference in Full Swing

Ian Budd Chatting to Tony Burton

Presentation to Richard Ardern

Discontinuous Electrification? - P18

• Roger Ford's Informed Sources article, mentioned in the magazine, is well worth a read.

Parliamentary Questions - P20

• Claire Baker MSP's questions, S6W-29338 and S6W-29339 have now received answers:

Question S6W-29338: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, answered 17 September 2024.

To ask the Scottish Government how information on the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot was targeted at (a) those on lower incomes and (b) non-rail users.

Fiona Hyslop: The purpose of ScotRail peak fares removal pilot is to encourage modal shift from car to rail, therefore any information promoted by ScotRail aimed to target people who commuted by car and encouraged them to switch to rail.

ScotRail was actively promoting rail travel and rail travel uptake during the pilot. Several advertisements with the key messages of the pilot have been promoted regularly through various channels, including social media, with an average reach of 4 million each.

Question S6W-29339: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour, answered 19 September 2024.

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to monitor changes in rail passenger activity following the end of the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot on 27 September 2024.

Fiona Hyslop: ScotRail Trains Ltd routinely monitors patronage on its services to identify trends, opportunities and to best match its resources with the passenger demand. Following the Ministerial decision to end the 12 month trial removing peak fares, the Scottish Government intends to repeat the analysis undertaken to assess the pilot, as detailed in the published report, after an appropriate period has elapsed.

Timber Trains Approaching - P22

• The document published by West Fraser in advance of the public consultations gives some useful background.

Anne-Mary Paterson - P24

Anne-Mary wrote an engaging piece about life for a writer during lockdown:

Publishing a book in a lockdown

It is nice to go to a local bookshop to celebrate the publication of a new book and have a bit of a party with friends. This of course was not to be with the lockdown. However, I decided that the show must go on with a virtual publication. I dressed up in the clothes I would have worn to go to the Waterstones. I had a lovely time with friends and people who had helped me with the book.

My conclusion about all this, is that perhaps virtual publications should continue alongside the physical book signings as people from far away who would not be able to come to Inverness, were able to hear me speak about my book and read a bit from it. There are things we have learnt from the Pandemic. I had never heard of Zoom before the lockdowns, but I shall continue with it even when we get back to whatever the new normal looks like. Using it, I have attended events from all over the place. I hope these opportunities will continue.

• All Anne-Mary's railway titles can be found on the Highland Railway Society web page and can be purchased there.

No More Rail Mail - P26

Night Mail WH Auden

SCOTO - P30

• You can learn more about SCOTO and read the latest news on the SCOTO website.

Bilbster Family Quest - P31

Hugh & Ellen MacKenzie	Samuel MacKenzie in 1896	Samuel MacKenzie in Railway Uniform
Bilbster Station	Bilbster Station Nameboard	Selection of Keys Found in the Station Office
Assorted Goods Labels - 1	Assorted Goods Labels - 2	Assorted Goods Labels - 3

World Heritage Site - P34

• Learn much more about the Forsinard Flows on the website.

Book Reviews - P35

• Keith Fenwick's book Completing the Far North Line can be ordered from the HRS website.
• David Spaven's How Levenmouth Got Its Trains Back can be purchased by emailing LMRC@mail.com. The cost of the book is £6.50 (incl postage and packing) payable by bank transfer. LMRC's bank account is 87-68-83 Account No: 73779868