Aviemore’s steam line will see re-run of ‘debut’ loco 90 years to the day
And now for something completely prototypical.
Not quite Monty Python, but check this out: imagine you are in 1934, on a three platform station somewhere in the Highlands in early September, and a large black locomotive arrives from the south with its first train in passenger service.
Not only is it the first passenger hauled service by a Black 5 locomotive over the original Highland Main Line — it's the first passenger service for the first locomotive of its type released from the manufacturers.
On Thursday, exactly 90 years later at 15:03 the scene will be repeated - same locomotive, same platform.
The Watkinson Trust have discovered that Black 5 locomotive No 5025 is not only the first of the class released into traffic (the Vulcan Foundry locomotives were in traffic before the first batch from Crewe, and Vulcan Foundry held 5020 back for the official photographs), but its first passenger train ran from Perth to Inverness, via Forres, over what is now the line of the Strathspey Railway from Aviemore North towards Grantown.
This train left Aviemore, heading for Forres on September 5, 1934 at 15:03, from the same platform that Strathspey Railway trains now operate.
With the assistance of the Strathspey Railway Company, this scene will be recreated on the correct date at the correct time, 90 years apart with exactly the same locomotive. Only the carriages will be more modern — but in time the Watkinson Trust aims to put that right too, perhaps in time for the 100 year anniversary of the first passenger service of a Black 5.
Watkinson Trust chairman Nathan Lightowler said: “From our research we believe this to be a unique opportunity that is unlikely to be repeated at any other heritage railway, and we hope that those interested will want to join us today at 15:03 as we re-enact 5025's first train in 1934'.
Tickets are available from the Strathspey Railway website (www.strathspeyrailway.co.uk).
