West Highland line 1988

[Rab Smith]

Hello,
Could anyone confirm the departure times from Glasgow Queen St to Oban and Fort William. I'm too tight to buy a timetable from the year just for the handful of trains on the WHL.
My recollection was three trains daily to Oban and three to Fort William then Mallaig
The times I seem to remember were ;
08.20, 12.20 and 18.20 to Oban
06.50 (sleeper) 09.50, 17.50 to Fort William then onto Mallaig.
Cannot remember there being an afternoon service to Mallaig but it's very hazy to me!
Any help would be really appreciated!

 

[hexagon789]

Hello,
Could anyone confirm the departure times from Glasgow Queen St to Oban and Fort William. I'm too tight to buy a timetable from the year just for the handful of trains on the WHL.
My recollection was three trains daily to Oban and three to Fort William then Mallaig
The times I seem to remember were ;
08.20, 12.20 and 18.20 to Oban
06.50 (sleeper) 09.50, 17.50 to Fort William then onto Mallaig.
Cannot remember there being an afternoon service to Mallaig but it's very hazy to me!
Any help would be really appreciated!

0550 Glasgow QS - Fort William (2100 ex-Euston)
0834 Glasgow QS - Oban
1004 Glasgow QS - Fort William
1204 Glasgow QS - Oban
1634 Glasgow QS - Fort William
1834 Glasgow QS - Oban

The Fort William to Mallaig line is shown as entirely separate workings:

1005
1050 MTO seasonal, steam hauled
1050 ThO steam hauled
1415
1610
2045

 

[Rab Smith]

0550 Glasgow QS - Fort William (2100 ex-Euston)
0834 Glasgow QS - Oban
1004 Glasgow QS - Fort William
1204 Glasgow QS - Oban
1634 Glasgow QS - Fort William
1834 Glasgow QS - Oban

The Fort William to Mallaig line is shown as entirely separate workings:

1005
1050 MTO seasonal, steam hauled
1050 ThO steam hauled
1415
1610
2045

Thanks! Geez I must be more hazy than I thought!
Was there ever a 17.50 to FW? That's in my mind for some reason

 

[NomadTD15]

The previous year there were 2 extra trains each way between Crianlarich and Oban running only on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 23 June and 4 Oct 1987.
12.35 and 16.19 from Crianlarich. 09.55 and 14.35 from Oban. Not sure whether that continued into 1988.

 

[Rab Smith]

The previous year there were 2 extra trains each way between Crianlarich and Oban running only on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays between 23 June and 4 Oct 1987.
12.35 and 16.19 from Crianlarich. 09.55 and 14.35 from Oban. Not sure whether that continued into 1988.

Ahh, was that using the class 104 Mexican Bean set?

 

[hexagon789]

Ahh, was that using the class 104 Mexican Bean set?

Yes, 1987 was its third and final season.

 

[Beebman]

Ahh, was that using the class 104 Mexican Bean set?

I went to ride on it in 1985 but it had failed and was replaced by a 37 with two Mk.1s, not that I was complaining!

 

[jimm]

Thanks! Geez I must be more hazy than I thought!
Was there ever a 17.50 to FW? That's in my mind for some reason

There was definitely a train around that time earlier in the 1980s - 17.40 off Queen Street rings a bell, as I am sure I travelled on a service departing at that time on a Saturday to travel to Corrour, where I got off in in pitch darkness, as it was late October.

My family had rented a cottage on the Corrour estate for the half-term holiday in 1981 and I was allowed to travel up on the train from Yorkshire, though I did have to go home in the car.

I also enjoyed a rather lively run from Fort William to Mallaig that week after the northbound sleeper ran late.

I forget how late we were setting off from Fort William - well into double digits for sure once the post, parcels and newspapers bound for Malliag had been transferred - but I think it's safe to say that the driver tested both the capabilities of the unrefurbished 37/0 and the line speed limit and we were almost on time into Mallaig. It could have been interesting had anyone wanted to join at a request stop...

 

[nw1]

Thanks! Geez I must be more hazy than I thought!
Was there ever a 17.50 to FW? That's in my mind for some reason

Can't see it in the 1982 timetable which has the 1634.

The 1982 timetable looks especially spartan as the 0834 morning train to FW/Mallaig only ran in high summer (7 June-11 Sep). Your only option of a morning departure was the 0600 sleeper!

The full 1982 list is:

0600 Mallaig (sleeper)
0804 Oban
0834 Mallaig - high summer only
1255 Oban
1634 Mallaig
1823 Oban

In addition there was a 1630 FW-Mallaig short working.

 

[hexagon789]

Can't see it in the 1982 timetable which has the 1634.

The 1982 timetable looks especially spartan as the 0834 morning train to FW/Mallaig only ran in high summer (7 June-11 Sep). Your only option of a morning departure was the 0600 sleeper!

The full 1982 list is:

0600 Mallaig (sleeper)
0804 Oban
0834 Mallaig - high summer only
1255 Oban
1634 Mallaig
1823 Oban

In addition there was a 1630 FW-Mallaig short working.

Very similar timings in both 1980 and 1981, just the odd min or two difference in departure time.

 

[oldman]

The 1982 timetable looks especially spartan as the 0834 morning train to FW/Mallaig only ran in high summer (7 June-11 Sep). Your only option of a morning departure was the 0600 sleeper!

That was the service for many decades - two through trains a day plus one in summer. The early service connected with the Stornoway ferry at Mallaig before the route from Ullapool was introduced.

 

[Gloster]

Summer 1986 was:

05.50, 09.50 and 16.50 to Fort William
08.20, 12.20 and 18.20 to Oban
10.05, 14.05, 16.05 and 21.05 from Fort William to Mallaig.

Sundays was 17.50 from Glasgow to Fort William with a connection at Crianlarich at 20.00 to Oban
Sundays 29-06 to 07-09 there was a 17.20 to Oban from Glasgow.