On the Kyle of Lochalsh Line (1)

Among the great railway lines of the UK is the line to Kyle of Lochalsh. It runs from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh where, in the days before the bridge, you then caught the ferry to Skye. So I was determined to find a reason to use the line as part of my 50 at 50 adventures. 15th May provided the perfect excuse as after a week at Ullapool where my previous journey ended we were now going to Skye for a couple of days.

Garve Station

So Beth dropped me at Garve in time to catch the train before driving on to Kyle of Lochalsh where she would pick me up again (she's a very patient woman my wife, I don't deserve her). There's not a lot at Garve other than the railway station and a hotel. There doesn't even seem to be a village store. So I hung around the station until the train arrived.

It was pretty full but I'd booked ahead and my window seat put me next to a small child and opposite another and their grandmother. Grandfather was sitting opposite. Should I offer to change places with grandpa? I thought about it but he had an aisle seat and I'd got this train to see the view. Luckily the guard worked out what was going on and came to the rescue. He found the family another table for four in the next carriage - so I had a table on my own all the way to Kyle of Lochalsh.

As advertised it's a great little line. The two coach DMU swings wildly up and down as the single track line wiggles its way across the highlands trying to contour follow as much as it can but despite that there's still some quite steep (in railway terms) gradients it has to climb and you can hear the train working as it does so. The curves are often so sharp that despite it only being a two coach train I could often see the coach in front.

All the track is good old fashioned rails with fishplates too so you get that classic "dumdy-dum, dumdy-dum" sound from the wheels which takes me back a bit. No continuous welded here.

Several of the stations are request stops so the driver hoots as he approaches and, if you want to get on you have to flag the train down like a bus. You don't get that much south of the border!

As we got close to Kyle of Lochalsh a woman got on at one of these stops and was touting these certificates, a bargain at only £3. So I bought one. I think she saw me coming but it was really a donation to the Friends of the Kyle Line, who do do some useful work.

Wise to stop here, otherwise you get wet

It also got me into the museum at Kyle of Lochalsh station which would otherwise have cost me £1. As you can see it really is the end of the line. I guess in the old days boats would have loaded and unloaded here.

So that was the Kyle of Lochalsh line. A short but amusing day on a train. More photos here.