Driech day in Kyle
On a day when the fine rain seemed never ending, a BRC&W class 26 no. 26032 stands at Kyle of Lochalsh station with the 10.55am train to Inverness.
The Isle of Skye lies in the background with the hill Sgurr Na Coinnich (trans. Peak of Moss) making its presence felt at 2,425' in elevation. Today however low cloud means little can be seen of the summit, and in any case Skye is more famous for the Black Cuillins - a far more dramatic range of mountains to the west containing twelve Munros (over 3000' in elevation), and thus a honeypot to discerning hikers and mountaineers from all over the UK, and beyond.
I framed this to include the right-hand side of the quay which, by now, was bereft of rail wagons seeing as freight supplies were generally conveyed to Skye by lorry and the ferry running between here and Kyleakin just across the water. It looks like one of the ferries is docked at the end of the harbour.
The ferry service closed in 1995 when the new bridge was opened linking Kyle with Kyleakin and which, in one fell stroke, obliterated the summer queues that were a regular feature around here, much to the frustration of motorists who had often already driven hundreds of miles to reach this point.
Despite it being July there were no queues on this day though, and most sensible folk seemed to be content staying indoors and battening down the hatches.
Reproduced here full frame, this is the first time the negative has been scanned. Looks best viewed full-screen.
Ilford FP4 rated at 160asa, developed in Acutol
22nd July 1977
Driech day in Kyle
On a day when the fine rain seemed never ending, a BRC&W class 26 no. 26032 stands at Kyle of Lochalsh station with the 10.55am train to Inverness.
The Isle of Skye lies in the background with the hill Sgurr Na Coinnich (trans. Peak of Moss) making its presence felt at 2,425' in elevation. Today however low cloud means little can be seen of the summit, and in any case Skye is more famous for the Black Cuillins - a far more dramatic range of mountains to the west containing twelve Munros (over 3000' in elevation), and thus a honeypot to discerning hikers and mountaineers from all over the UK, and beyond.
I framed this to include the right-hand side of the quay which, by now, was bereft of rail wagons seeing as freight supplies were generally conveyed to Skye by lorry and the ferry running between here and Kyleakin just across the water. It looks like one of the ferries is docked at the end of the harbour.
The ferry service closed in 1995 when the new bridge was opened linking Kyle with Kyleakin and which, in one fell stroke, obliterated the summer queues that were a regular feature around here, much to the frustration of motorists who had often already driven hundreds of miles to reach this point.
Despite it being July there were no queues on this day though, and most sensible folk seemed to be content staying indoors and battening down the hatches.
Reproduced here full frame, this is the first time the negative has been scanned. Looks best viewed full-screen.
Ilford FP4 rated at 160asa, developed in Acutol
22nd July 1977