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
We are sad to report that John Macnab, a long time FoFNL member, passed away in the first week of January aged 87. He was a retired railwayman and frequent contributor to the press, both railway and national.
He often wrote to me after the publication of an issue of Far North Express, and corresponded regularly on railway matters with my colleague, Richard Ardern.
Looking through my records I found many quotable comments from John - here is a selection:
Another excellent issue of the magazine and thanks to all concerned in putting it together.
In regard to that celebrated by "Pandora" regarding the electrification of Scotland's railways, with a year of 2035 given as completion of the main lines of route, it will coincide with my 99th year of existence. Whether this happy blending of events will take place is in the lap of the gods!
It is to be hoped these railway plans and intentions (and much else) come to pass, and noting that which befell the proposals of 2008 am reminded of a grandparent telling me that promises are like pie crusts, easily broken, Whatever comes to pass, pressure must be sustained to keep the aspirations for the future "alive and kicking"!
It may be ludicrous to even imagine, let alone consider such a possibility, that there still exists a deep seated "mindset" amongst those who govern us of anything furth of the Central Belt in the age-old perception of Lowland Scotland having little or no interest in Highland Scotland? One would have thought this was now of the past in all matters and concerns.
[In response to a planned article - "A Question of Capacity and Ambition" - FNE, January 2024] I fully endorse your comments and points made. It is hard hitting but totally necessary.
I would only add one thing: when is the finance to be made available for replacement of much of the rolling stock fleet? It only exists on a sheet of paper at the moment.
Bearing in mind, even if any orders placed tomorrow, five years would at least pass before anything enters service.
Whatever happens, may the fates preserve us from a CalMac scenario!
In finality, "Integrated Transport in The Netherlands", why, oh, why, can we not do the same - or at least try? Mayhap such endeavour is not in the genes of those who govern us.
In passing, you will doubtless have watched Michael Portillo bringing a splash of colour (sartorially speaking) on his journeying along the Far North Line in his current TV programme. I also had watched the Scotland's Far North Line on Channel 5 as mentioned in the Journal. Keeping the Far North theme going I co-authored an article on this line of route in the December 2021 issue of Steam Days magazine. I also note that Today's Railways magazine in their forthcoming March issue (on sale 14th of that month) will have a feature on the Far North Line.
At least it is keeping it in the "news!"
I noted while searching for something else the other day, the 1951 copy of Trains Illustrated magazine mentioned that in 1927 in a debate on future motive power it was stated "By 1940 electrification of rail routes would be completed".
A bit of a sweeping statement then and similarly if now made in regard to 2040!
I got FNE 84 [September 2021] on Saturday last which is an excellent read in every account. Well done to yourself and others.
We collectively hold our breath in what will come to pass as regards the railway business in Scotland next year. [ScotRail taken into public ownership] One hopes its governance will not be akin to that which "runs" CalMac.
This is possibly his last published letter: Railway Magazine, October 2023
Your article regarding the Selby diversion was fortuitously apposite coinciding with the debacle of HS2 concerning its further extension and the ensuing, and as yet undefined, completion and operation of the LondonBirmingham portion.
What is clear is that the aforementioned diversion was conceived, planned and brought about by all those concerned who knew exactly what was necessary simply getting on with the task in hand.
HS2 has failed miserably, and I fear it will become the ultimate line between somewhere in London and somewhere in Birmingham, with all parties involved - politicians, planners et al - equally guilty of total mismanagement. The rest of us bearing witness to all this hang our heads more in sorrow than shame.
John Macnab, Falkirk
Jim Summers, who was Regional Operations Manager, British Rail Scottish Region until his retirement, wrote these words about John:
Many members will be familiar with the name but unless they worked on the railway they are unlikely to have met John. His increasing deafness made meetings of organisations difficult for him. Nevertheless, in his retirement John wrote many valuable articles on railway life for a variety of publications, and was of inestimable assistance to those trying to trace the history of Scotland's carriage stock. During the transition from steam he was in the Coaching Stock Section of the Scottish Region and kept records which no one else cared to do - these were unique and have since been used by John to assist many researchers. His papers are now cared for in the archives of the Museum of Scottish Railways at Bo'ness. John lived through the withdrawal and reinstatement of the Blue Trains, when his carriages were key to the interim service. Latterly he was responsible for the production of the Scottish aspects of the Great Britain Passenger Timetable, and nursed the relationship with CalMac. Non-railway folk reading the letters columns of the Scottish Press will certainly know his name, for he loved to inject common sense into discussions in those papers about the railway.
Another good railwayman gone. May he rest in peace.