The Friends of the Far North Line
Cairdean Na Loine Tuath
the campaign group for rail north of
Inverness - lobbying for improved services for the local user, tourist and freight
operator
It is sad to report the loss of one of our most well known members. Anne-Mary Paterson died on 25 April 2024 aged 86, after a short illness. Anne-Mary was a familiar figure at our AGMs and many other rail events.
To us she was the writer of three books about Highland railways:
To others she was a member of a distinguished Beauly family, with a long history in the village; or a member of the 'Shinty Family' as her father had been Secretary, and then President, of the Camanachd Association, the world governing body of the Scottish sport.
In a tribute to Anne-Mary, Hugh Dan MacLennan, a Scottish broadcaster with a specific interest in shinty said, "Anne-Mary's passing represents the end of an era in terms of the family's history in the Beauly district. She more than played her part in unravelling and remembering the past. She was a giant of a figure in terms of her work, her diligence, and her sincerity. In addition, she was kindness personified and will be hugely missed by people, families, and communities from Beauly to Canada."
Anne-Mary's books are all available on the Highland Railway Society website and occupy a special place in the Highland Railway narrative.
As well as her work documenting aspects of the Highland Railway, Anne-Mary was also a regular contributor to radio and TV programmes including Channel 5's World's Most Scenic Railway Journeys and Michael Portillo's Great British Railway Journeys.