Recent content by Trucker Glen

You're right that the government of the day will spend money on projects that will get them votes, that's why in the north of Scotland their spending is on roads rather than railways. The majority of people in Wick or Thurso will probably never travel on the Far North Line, let alone appreciate...

To be fair the BBC News website also reported on what is basically David Spaven trying to promote his latest book.

There's only one automatic open crossing on the Far North Line, at Delny, the rest have all had barriers added.

They do escort the road transport of flasks, I've seen a CNC police car following a truck between Dounreay and Georgemas. This also including guarding the railheads while flasks are being loaded onto trains. Here is a Google Streetview capture of a train being loaded with armed police at the...

The new railhead at Georgemas was built about two years ago specifically for nuclear flasks, when material was starting to be removed from Dounreay. The Subsea 7 pipes are unloaded in the yard on the other side of the A9. There are some photos of the flask terminal here.

The only real difference is whether there are phones. Most of the existing ABCL crossings have phones and also the 784.1 signs instructing drivers of large and slow vehicles to phone before crossing, like at AHB crossings. But AOCL+B conversions retain the blue "to contact railway" signs...

Is there a technical reason why Halkirk was upgraded to ABCL rather then getting a +B conversion, or is there a bit of politics going on and wanting to be seen to be spending more on that particular crossing? As for phones, the three existing ABCLs on the FN and Kyle lines do have them.

Thanks, I didn't fancy a trip to Forsinard if it hadn't been upgraded yet. :) Do you know when the others are due to be converted? Here are some of my photos of some of the AOCL+B conversions that have been done so far (including before and after shots)...

Do you have a list of all the ones that have been converted so far? I have seen Corpach, Bunchrew, Balnacra, Achterneed, Dingwall Middle and Dingwall No.2. I haven't been to Caithness or Sutherland recently (which is where most of the others are) and don't fancy driving miles to get photos of...