Railway History Map of Britain - northern Scotland

Resource Type: Image | Posted on 11th November 2011 by Liam Physick

Here we see the railways of northern Scotland. Visible here is a locomotive from the Highland Railway. The Highland Railway opened in 1865 following the amalgamation of four smaller railways: it later absorbed a number of other lines. Based in Inverness, it connected with the Caledonian Railway to the south and the Great North of Scotland Railway to the east. There were also several branch lines connecting it to nearby towns. The Highland Railway was notable for using the first 4-6-0 locomotives in the British Isles. It existed until 1923 when it was almagamated into the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Under the Beeching Axe, all lines north of Inverness were to be closed, but the government decided to keep them open as these lines were very important in winter. Its isolated situation meant it was one of the first areas to be dieselised under the Modernisation Plan

Tagged under: steam locomotives, tender locomotives, diesel locomotives, tank locomotives, railway history, london midland and scottish railway, beeching axe, railway history map of britain, modernisation plan, caledonian railway

Categorised under: Landmarks, Landscapes & Locomotives