A DEVIATING ROUTE TOWARDS INVERNESS

 We now head due west, calling in at Spinningdale for a 'cuppa'.

We come across the Highland Railway's Far North line at Bonar Bridge, seen in 1962 (Ben Brooksbank).

On the same line, a bit closer to Inverness, 26038 & 26043 pass at Ardgay in 1979 (Les Flint).

Eastwards now, skirting Dornoch Firth, to the station at Tain.

Across Cromarty Firth, the town of Cromarty itself, with the fishing fleet in the harbour.

On the other side of Cromarty Firth (follow the map here) is Invergordon, where a Hull & Barnsley Railway 0-6-0T was on loan during WW1.

Next stop, Dingwall. LMS 15051 was found 'on shed'.

Another ex HR loco, a 4-4-0, seen shunting at Dingwall station.

In 1979 26026 arrives into Dingwall station.

Here's a general view of Dingwall station.

The Mallard, a pub to be found on the platform.

The National Hotel, in Dingwall town centre, used to serve real ale.

A couple of photos of Dingwall town centre (Felibrilu - Creative Commons License).

Highland Omnibuses had a depot in Dingwall. Here are a few of the inhabitants in the 1970s.

A local independent, Newtons, was based in Dingwall.

The Royal Mail also served Dingwall with a postbus service.

Now it's time to leave Dingwall behind, looking back over the town and Cromarty Firth.

We head inland, to Strathpeffer, at the end of a short branch line, off the route to Kyle of Lochalsh.

On the Kyle line itself, Garve station.

Further west, trains used to pass at Achnasheen.

An "about turn" now, eastwards to the Far North line again, at Muir of Ord. LMS 14397 calls in 1947 (Unknown photgrapher).

The Glen Ord Distillery is at Muir of Ord.

As we close in on Inverness, we reach the station at Beauly, photographed by Ben Brooksbank in 1961.

The final photo of this post shows a Duple Dominant bus of Newtons of Dingwall at Beauly.

The next post will see us in Inverness.

A BEERLESS DAY!

This post starts in Wick, a real ale desert. I believe that even the Wetherspoons has been sold. This is Bridge Street many years ago.

Here's a more modern view.

The town's railway station, in Highland Railway days.

In 1905, the branch to Lybster was opened.

Wick loco shed in LMS times.

Wick station in 1976, when it still had a goods yard.

26042 & 26013 at Wick in 1979.

Class 156 DMUs later took over.

Now to the buses. Here's the John O'Groats mail bus (Photographer unknown).

Dunnet's of Keiss later ran the John O'Groats service.

Highland Omnibuses was the main operator. Here's a selection of vehicles in Wick.

Leaving Wick behind, we follow the branch line down to Lybster and it's the opening day.

There was a small engine shed at Lybster.

We now head inland to the HR line at Forsinard, a remote passing place on the Far North Line.

We follow the railway back to the coast, at the small town of Helmsdale.

Here's the harbour.

Helmsdale station, with one of its signal boxes.

The mail van meets the next train.

A pair of class 26 locos depart from Helmsdale.

Further down the coast is Brora, where this scruffy ex Southdown Leyland Leopard of Rapsons Coaches was found.

As the railway heads back inland, Rogart station is reached.

At Lairg station, a good distance from the village of the same name, trains pass, the train crews change over and the mail bus of the Sutherland Transport & Trading Company waits for passengers.

We conclude this post back near the coast at Dornoch.

Next time, we'll be heading for Inverness. Follow the route here.