MarcD Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 I'm looking at modelling the Ben Nevis Distillery just outside Fort William. Their internal railway had a main line but there doesn't seem to be a loco shed or stables so I'm presuming that the system was shunted by a main line loco. So my question is what locos would have been in Fort William that could have been used? Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Fort William Motive Power Depot (MPD) is mentioned here, along with mention of locos used for local freight work. https://westhighlandline.org.uk/fort-william/2/ See also: Quote This distillery is in Fort William at the foot of Ben Nevis. The distillery was formerly railway served. The West Highland Railway is to the south east. Sidings approached from the south, their junction with the main line allowing a train from Fort William to approach the distillery. There was a short loop within the distillery and sidings served from a turnplate. https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/B/Ben_Nevis_Distillery/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Not to be confused with the Glenlochy Distillery which also had a siding. Quote This distillery was just east of central Fort William, on the north bank of the River Ness. It was served by a short siding from the West Highland Railway. The siding was on the south side of the line and served from the west (by the Nevis Viaduct). The siding was lifted in the 1970s and no trace of it remains. The distillery closed in 1983/4. After a long period of disuse the site was partly cleared. The manager's house, staff cottages and the distillery's maltings building, with pagoda ventilator, remain. https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/G/Glenlochy_Distillery/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Three different distilleries, each with their own siding(s). From east to west: Ben Nevis https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.0&lat=56.83424&lon=-5.07275&layers=168&b=1 Glenlochy https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.7&lat=56.82235&lon=-5.09407&layers=168&b=1 Nevis https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.4&lat=56.82253&lon=-5.09891&layers=168&b=1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 I suppose a 7mm scale distillery only produces miniatures? 😁 The RCH Stations Handbook of 1904 lists it as Ben Nevis Distillery Siding, served by the NBR, traffic booked via Fort William. I take it that does mean that traffic was worked to/from there by a Fort William loco, running round in the sidings. The reference to a turnplate in Keith's postings suggests to me that wagons were manhandled one at a time using pinch bars etc once the main line loco had gone home. Some shed allocations here http://shedbashuk.blogspot.com/2016/05/fort-william-mallaig-1938-1962.html 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 The wagon turntable was kept in use until the end of rail operations. The point at the end of the loop was removed at some point in the 1930/40's from what I can ascertain. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 @MarcD - have you decided on a specific era yet? Pics on Flikr 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 I was thinking of 1914-23. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Disused Stations has an interesting picture or two. http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/index.shtml Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted December 19, 2022 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 19, 2022 In later days I'd imagine it might have been worked by the Fort William "pilot"; in the BR steam era often a J36, later on a class 20 diesel. But I have no idea what would have been used in @MarcD's chosen period (which also encompasses WW1, which might also have had an effect). 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 2 hours ago, MarcD said: I was thinking of 1914-23. "Early 20th century" NBR http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/index10.shtml or http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/index14.shtml Looks like a 4-4-0 tender loco 1914, "Number 27" - a NBR 0-6-0 tender? http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/f/fort_william/index17.shtml Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 43 minutes ago, D9020 Nimbus said: In later days I'd imagine it might have been worked by the Fort William "pilot"; in the BR steam era often a J36, later on a class 20 diesel. But I have no idea what would have been used in @MarcD's chosen period (which also encompasses WW1, which might also have had an effect). Looks like the J36s were first built pre-1900. Early enough to be in @MarcD 's chosen era? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NBR_C_Class BRDatabase shows at least one assigned to Fort William North British Railway 663 - later renumbered with the LNER, finally BR number 65237 https://www.brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&id=601036055&type=S&loco=65237 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithMacdonald Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 Hattons says that Hornby did produce one J36 model in NBR colours Quote Originally known as the C Class, 168 locomotives were produced by the North British Railway between 1888 and 1901. The locomotives had a surprising lifespan, with examples staying in service until 1967. The J36 was the last class of steam locomotive to operate in Scotland. Just one has been preserved. https://www.hattons.co.uk/directory/versiondetails/article?id=371 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 (edited) Here is NBR Class ‘C’ (later LNER J36) 783 at Fort William shed ‘prior to WW1’. https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-nbr-j36-0-6-0-locomotive-no783-112661989.html This picture, with a fuller caption, is in “Locomotives Illustrated #137 - North British Railway 0-6-0s. LNER Classes ‘J31 to ‘J37’” Edited December 19, 2022 by pH Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcD Posted December 19, 2022 Author Share Posted December 19, 2022 I will dig out my copy. Marc Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted December 19, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2022 6 hours ago, MarcD said: The wagon turntable was kept in use until the end of rail operations. The point at the end of the loop was removed at some point in the 1930/40's from what I can ascertain. Marc Not as relevant now Marc has defined his timescale but the 1964 OS 1:2500 map shows the simplified layout (although it doesn't actually show a turntable) https://maps.nls.uk/view/130179230#zoom=5&lat=6280&lon=4150&layers=BT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Hodgson Posted December 19, 2022 Share Posted December 19, 2022 The connection at 90 degrees from the right hand siding is a wagon turntable Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium keefer Posted December 19, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 19, 2022 I realise that, it's just that OS maps often showed a representation of a turntable i.e. a circle around the 'join' - perhaps it's something the more modern maps didn't bother with Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now