28th - 30th April 1978

Festiniog Railway Society / Lancashire & Cheshire Railtours
The Highland Express Railtour

Locos Used at least 25???, 25050, 25232, 25236, 26010, 26036, 26043, 37080, 40044, 47442 & 86031
Stock Used load 15

Route :

Date(s) Loco(s) Route
28/04 40044 Stockport - Manchester Victoria - Bolton - Chorley - Euxton Jn - Preston
28/04-29/04 86031 Preston - (via WCML) - Motherwell - Mossend Yard
29/04 25236 + 25050 Mossend Yard - ??? - Inverness
29/04 26010 + 26036 Inverness - Dingwall - Achnasheen - Kyle of Lochalsh (2)
29/04 26010 + 26043 Kyle of Lochalsh - Achnasheen - Dingwall - Inverness
29/04 37080 + 25050 + 25232 Inverness - (reverse of outward route) - Tomatin
29/04-30/04 25050 + 25232 Tomatin - (reverse of outward route) - Mossend Yard
30/04 ????? Mossend Yard - (reverse of outward route) - Carlisle
30/04 47442 Carlisle - Petteril Bridge Jn - (via S&C) - Settle Jn - Hellifield - Clitheroe - Blackburn -  Lostock Hall Jn - Preston
30/04 47442 (3) Preston - (reverse of outward route) - Stockport

Notes :
(1) Route & traction confirmation required - above is extrapolated from the tour booklet. An off-train option ('Portree Coach Tour') was available; this involved passengers making their own way via the Kyleakin ferry to Kyleakin where the coach was to depart at 11.15am with lunch in Portree (14.30d).
(2) Colin Kennington comments that 26036 was replaced by 26043 at Kyle of Lochalsh due to an axlebox problem.
(3) Unidentified class 25 provided banking assistance out of Manchester Victoria up Miles Platting bank.

Sources : David Tomlinson & Colin Kennington

Timings (Booked Only)
(from John Debens)

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Stockport 21.48d 08.19a
Manchester Victoria 22.18d 07.44a
Bolton 22.42d 07.21a
Chorley 22.56d -
Preston 23.16a ~ 23.35d 06.22a
Carlisle 00.57a ~ 01.01d 03.17a ~ 03.27d
Inverness 06.50a ~ 07.50d 19.45a ~ 20.55d
Kyle of Lochalsh 10.33a 17.00d


Back to "The Railtour Files"