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Back in 1989 the fiancé, now wife, and I decided that we'd like to travel up to and around Scotland by train. This was before the days when she had Staff Travel Passes. While on the trip we'd stop off in Aviemore to see a friend of mine that I used to work with at Waterloo who now lived in Aviemore. And so the trip began ...
About two weeks before we left London it was reported on the news that the Ness Rail bridge had been washed away which caused us some concern about our planned trips to Kyle of Lochalsh and Thurso. Today we'd find out how the trains would be running.
Leaving our B&B on Midmills Road we walked down to the station under a dark grey cloudy day we entered the station and into the travel centre to find out how we would be getting to Thurso. By bus to Dingwall was the answer. We left on the bus and at Dingwall caught the train.
2H63/2H73 Dingwall to Thurso 37414.
The grey skies were over us all day and on arrival at Thurso at 15:47 it was pelting down with rain. A walk in to the town centre found us soaked through and the only place open was a chippy. We bought enough food to keep us going and managed to have a look around the shops (such as they were) in between the showers. By 17:15 we had had enough and went to the station. Luckily the staff took pity on us and allowed us to get on the train. It was formed of two carriages (Oh yes, lovely old MKIs. Got to love them). The front carriage had heating but no lights and the rear one had lights but no heating. We decided to sit in the dark! As we sat on the train the wind was rocking the train from side to side ... a strange feeling.
2H74 Thurso to Georgemas Junction 37414.
At Georgemas Junction 37414 shunted the coaches on to the rear of the train from Wick to form the train back to Dingwall.
2H64 Georgemas Junction to Dinwall 37417.
It was 22:17 before we arrived via the bus into Inverness. We decided we wouldn't be that late back on day 5.