24 hours at Gorton Loop

To the south of Rannoch, near milepost 62 1/2, 37423 and 37419 slug their heavy train of 9 ferry wagons loaded with paper up the 1 in 60 gradient on Rannoch Moor. The working is 7D60 1430 Fort William to Mossend Enterprise. The next stop for me was Rannoch station and the train back to Bridge of Orchy and the drive home.

Almost 7 years later on 26/5/2006, just before the class 37's came off the sleeper turn, I rode to Fort William on the sleeper portion. 37401 passes Gorton Loop as seen from the back of the four coach train 1Y11 0450 Edinburgh - Fort William.

The tall North British Railway signalbox stood in this spot and controlled the sections to the south and north, the rubble from its demolition lies out of shot to the left. The signalman's families lived in houses beside the line situated just beyond the stop board.