Hamish Baillie, chair of the West Highland Community Rail Partnership and chairman of Friends of the West Highland Line, gave a very engaging talk on 23rd September.
Hamish drew on his long service with British Rail and ScotRail, coloured by his more recent community roles as above. It was very interesting to hear a strategic overview of the line and its importance both to the West Highlands and nationally. We learned that rural lines, particularly the West Highland, now contributes greatly to the fortunes of ScotRail. That wasn’t always the case.
After a period of uncertainty under Beeching, there developed renewed confidence in the West Highland Line, at least to Corpach, with the coming of the pulp mill and associated traffic in the mid-sixties. The provision of a new Fort William station in 1975 cemented the government’s intent to retain the line.
Although some lament the closure of Fort William’s pier head station on 9th June 1975, Hamish explained that strategic decision which allowed construction of the A82 bypass.
Members enjoyed the following anecdotes from the smaller stations, supported by slides. Many of these stations have their place in history and contribute to the visitor experience.
Hamish worked in the Lochaber area in the late seventies, and he has retained his deep interest over many years. He is currently involved in the commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the extension of the line to Mallaig.
The engaging talk was followed by a vote of thanks from Ron Gretton who spoke of his own family’s employment on railways in Wales, brought short by the Beeching cuts.