| JOIN the footplate of 56096 for a spectacular 104-mile coast-to-coast trip across the lowlands of Scotland from the Firth of Clyde to the shores of the Forth. The Grid is hauling the 7G80 merry-go-round, conveying 1,200 tonnes of imported coal from Hunterston to Longannet power station in Fife . . . and for good measure the Type 5 has been Wired for Sound! The journey begins with a stiff southbound climb out of the loading terminal up to West Kil-bride. After skirting the coast at Saltcoats, the train heads north through Dalry and Lochwin-noch to reach the outskirts of Glasgow at Paisley, which marks the start of a complex 20-mile trek across the city suburbs via Shields Junction, Polmadie, Rutherglen, Coatbridge and Gar-nqueen North Junction. At Cumbernauld, the 7G80 continues onto the freight only line to Greenhill Lower Junction, followed by the semaphore-signalled Junctions of Carmuirs West and East. The run continues via Falkirk Grahamston, Polmont, Linlithgow and Dalmeny before reaching one of Britain's greatest railway structures - the Forth Bridge. At the north end of the 2766-yard bridge is North Queensferry, where full power is resumed for the run through Inverkeithing, Rosyth and Dunfermline - with its notoriously steep bank! Two miles further on, the 7G80 enters the sidings at Townhill to enable the 56 to run round before com-pleting the final leg of the journey. After heading back through Dunfermline, the train diverges onto the truncated remains of the line to Alloa. This 10-mile freight only branch provides some delightful scenery as it skirts the banks of the Firth of Forth before reaching Longannet power starion, where the discharge loop is still equipped with semaphore sig-nals. With the reign of Class 56s on Scottish coal traffic due to end by the turn of the centu-ry, what better reminder of the Golden Age of the Grid! No Contents Listing Published Continent: Europe
Country: UK
Area: UK Scotland |
