61 Years Later
On Saturday 16th October 1965 at around 2043 the last northbound passenger train, the 2035 Aviemore to Inverness via Dava, passed through Boat of Garten on its way over the original Highland main line receiving an Off indication at the down distant signal for Boat of Garten South Cabin.
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| Boat of Garten South in the 1960s. Copyright Graham Maxton. |
You’d have thought that was it, but no. Freight trains continued to run (two up and two down) between Aviemore and Craigellachie over the Speyside section for a further three years. Although both signal cabins at Boat of Garten continued to operate it would only be a further seven weeks before the axe fell.
According to the records the official closing date for both cabins was Monday 6th December but the way these things worked it is very likely that the disconnections, removal of signal arms and alterations to trackwork took place on Sunday 5th December. After this Speyside trains were permanently routed over the up platform line. The block section was extended from Aviemore (North) to Grantown on Spey (East).
Consequently the last train to receive a clear down distant at Boat South would have been the 0745 Aviemore to Craigellachie goods on Saturday 4th December 1965 (the 1310 Aviemore to Craigellachie was SX).
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| Freight working timetable, Copyright Graham Maxton. |
Over the last 61 years the down distant signal post has remained in place but with its arm restored by the fledgling Strathspey Railway and acting as a fixed distant signal, cautioning all trains on the approach to Boat of Garten.
With a lot of hard work over the last six months this has now been corrected. 96 wire stakes have been reinstated, each 9 yards apart. 96 signal wire pulleys have been attached to the wire stakes. This now allowed for the 880yards of signal wire to be run over the existing wire stakes from the signal cabin up to the down direction home signal and then onto the new wire stakes to the down distant.
On Tuesday 21st July after 61 years of been only able to show a caution aspect the down direction distant signal at Boat of Garten South is now reconnected to the signal cabin and has the ability to caution or tell drivers that the route is set through the station area thus bringing another piece of heritage signalling equipment back to life.
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| 61 Years later and the route is set in the down direction. |
The Mckenzie and Holland signal is fitted with its original Highland Railway finial at its crown. The lattice post has had a badly needed fresh coat of white paint to make it clear and visible to the drivers of approaching trains. Repeater indication of the signal is provided by an LMS pattern con box at the top of the signal, just as it was in 1965. Power to the signal lamp and indication circuits back to the signal cabin are transmitted over the original pole route in exactly the same way as it was before it was disconnected in December 1965.
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| Boat of Garten South down distant Signal. |
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| Under the frame the distant signal has the help of a 30lb counter weight for pulling the lever . |
At Boat of Garten South down home signal Boat of Garten Norths down distant signal that was originally in place back in 1965 has also been reinstated, but currently ‘fixed’. This is the start of changing Boat of Garten North cabin from an elevated ground frame controlled by the South Cabin to a signal cabin in its own right.
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| Boat of Garten South Home signal with Boat of Garten North distant signal below. |
For these alterations to be implemented more changes still require to be made. A distant signal needs to be reinstated in the Up direction for Boat of Garten South cabin along with some other interlocking changes in the North cabin. This should be the next job to be tackled, and you will be able to read about it in the next blog update. If anyone is interested in getting involved or would like to become a signaller and operate this heritage equipment please get in contact through the Strathspey Railway website.
