Hooda thought it?? rd

Glen Falloch just south of Crianlarich is the location for a one off working. Meanwhile the regular traffic goes on as normal. A pair of class 156 sprinter units head south with 1Y24 1211 Oban to Glasgow Queen Street.

The first unit came from Oban as 1Y24, 1211 off, but the second unit joined it at Crianlarich running as 1Y44 1010 from Mallaig to Crianlarich. The joined train works on to Glasgow.

An hour after the up train and around the time that the special working was due, comes the down train to Oban and Mallaig. Another pair of unidentified class 156 sprinters approach Crianlarich with 1Y23 1221 Glasgow Queen Street to Oban. Once in the station the pair will split and the front set will form 1Y43 1421 off Crianlarich to Mallaig. The train is about 20 - 25 minutes late.

Running about 40 minutes late, the star of the show finally appears. GBRf 66728 makes history as it hauls a pair of class 325 Royal Mail EMU's over the West Highland line to Fort William.

66728 brings EMU's 325008 and 325002 over the summit just south of Crianlarich, this most bizarre working is 4Z98 1155 Polmadie to Fort William Alcan.

66728 rolls into Crianlarich station on the falling 1 in 264 gradient. The loco is carrying John Hynd's "The West Highlander" headboard so it would be a safe bet to say he was the route conductor for this working.

The snow capped peaks of Ben More to the left at 3,852 feet above sea level and to the right is Stob Binnein, 3,822 feet high.

I don't know about these hills however.

The line clings to the hillside as it slowly gains height rising at a ruling gradient of 1 in 60. Here 66728 with 325008 and 325002 pass near Auchtertyre with Tyndrum Upper a few miles away.

A quick drive to the famous County March summit and after a short wait 66728 and its unique train comes past the up distant board for Tyndrum Upper.

Opening the lens out to capture the whole snowy scene at the County march with 66728 powering up the last few hundred yards of the 1 in 63 climb to the summit.

The route was awash with photographers out to see this one off working. It would work back from Fort William to Polmadie the next day. Who would have thought that a pair of EMU's would ever find themselves in Fort William.

Beinn Dorian forms the dramatic backdrop to the County March as 66728 with 325008 and 325002 bends over the summit with the change of gradient from 1 in 63 up to 1 in 55 down with a very short level section between.

The train negotiates the famous Horse Shoe Curve and here the bright red train is almost lost at the bottom of Beinn Chaistell right on the edge of the sunlight.

GBRf driver John Thomson slowly brings 66728 onto Auch Gleann viaduct just as the sun finds a hole in the cloud. If it had been on time this would have been a full dull shot.

The sun is almost glinting off the first vehicle of 325002 as it passes over the viaduct over the Auch Glean stream.

Opening the lens out to record the whole sun lit scene, wonderful. These shots made the two hour drive here worthwhile in itself.

The blue type 5 and the red class 325 EMU's stand out against the yellowish green of the grass around it.

The train is now clear of the Horse Shoe Curve and follows the line along the lower flank of Beinn Dorain towards Bridge of Orchy.

There is no snow at the lower levels as 66728 heads on to Bridge of Orchy for its next token stop.

With the lens right out and in portrait, the top of Beinn Dorain is just at the top with the railway at the bottom of the picture. The summit is some 3,523 feet above sea level.

The sun is just hanging in as 66728 plies on westwards to Bridge of Orchy.

After the token stop and with no train to cross, John Thomson gets his train away from Bridge of Orchy station. There is no sun here but the light glints off the side of 325008.

A final few shots for me of 4Z98 and 66728 with 325008 and 325002 heading for Fort William's Lochaber aluminium smelter.