{"id":3160,"date":"2023-09-15T01:33:48","date_gmt":"2023-09-15T01:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/fort-william-sojourn-4\/"},"modified":"2023-09-15T01:33:48","modified_gmt":"2023-09-15T01:33:48","slug":"fort-william-sojourn-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/fort-william-sojourn-4\/","title":{"rendered":"Fort William Sojourn (4)"},"content":{"rendered":"
On Wednesday 13th September, the trip out was for a cruise on Loch Ness. The cruise was very informative commentary-wise; but, frankly, there was little to see. We were told about the abundance of wildlife, but only saw three wild goats and two hairy Highland cows with their two calves.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Here are a very few items of note (?). The cruise ran from Fort Augustus.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
The boat was posh …\n
<\/a><\/div>\n
… and very modern.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

There were screens which showed pictures of fish etc and sonar maps of the loch. For fbb and many of the passengers they were impossible to see – too small. Most of the views from the boat were of the tree-lined banks\u00a0<\/p><\/span>with an occasional burst of geological variety.<\/span><\/div>\n


<\/span><\/div>\n
A scree slope!<\/span><\/div>\n
\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

There was one island – the only island in Loch Ness. It was man made in ancient times and was used as a secure holding area for domesticated animals.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n

It is called a crannog, which sounds a bit like a Scandinavian breakfast cereal.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Two pictures taken by fbb will appear as extras in the pre-prepared blog below.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
So it was worth going!<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n
Here beginneth the blog!<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/span><\/div>\n

Canal Competitor Collapses?<\/span><\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
In 1903 a branch line was opened from Spean Bridge on the West Highland Line to Fort Augustus at the southern end of Loch Ness.\u00a0<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
It came after years of acrimonious dispute between the North British Railway and the Highland Railway; but its clear aim was to gain a large(r) share of the lucrative markets to and from Inverness.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
The line was a failure and closed to passengers in 1933 and to all traffic (what little there was) in 1948. Much of the line is now invisible with a covering of undergrowth; but the tell-tale signs are still there. A scar of bushes …\u00a0\n
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
… curves away from today’s line just west of Spean Bridge station.\u00a0 The station is now an unstaffed halt and the former buildings are …\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

… a restaurant.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Of course they are!<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The next stop at Gairlochy …\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

… where the line was crossed by the B8004 …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… is now a caravan park – but it does retain the historic name!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
It was quite a reasonable stop, but not too close to the very small community which gave the station its name.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Next is Invergloy.\u00a0 It was about as basic as you could get in 1903.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

But next, at the foot of Loch Oich was Invergarry. This was built to serve a large estate, carrying its sheep in particular to lucrative markets further south.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

It is now a base for a small but enthusiastic band of preservation volunteers who have relaid a length of track and rebuilt the signal box …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… the original of which can be seen beyond the main station building. Note also that access to the platforms was via a subway; obviously keeping the crowds away from the furious frequency of four passing trains!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

We continue on our journey northwards.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

There is nothing left at Aberchalder except, perhaps, a pile of rough ground where the line once crossed the modern A82.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

The station was about half a mile further north …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Whist the station site is easy to spot from the air (below, upper right) …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

…the bridge and what went over it has vanished. Or t is it a farm track hidden in the trees in todays over-enlarged aerial view?<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

And so to Fort Augustus itself.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The English spent a huge amount of money trying to subdue the Scots! This was a model of Fort Augustus’ fort!\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

The main station was not quite a terminus …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… as the grand plan was to run trains on to a pier station – called “Pier” with astounding originality.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

So, even today, you can see a bridge over a local road just beyond the Caledonian Canal …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… and some sad and lonely support piers in the river beyond that.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n
The “town” station was where the light coloured buildings now sit, centre left.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

There were two piers on the southern tip of Loch Ness; the old pier used by MacBraynes cruises et al …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… and the railway pier …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… used by nobody much. The pier closed to regular services in 1906 after just three years, but was used by excursions until 1926.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 KLAXON – WRONG – BLUDNER – KLAXON\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
After a lengthy interchange of emails with Nick Catford, boss meister of the Disused Stations on-line pages, fbb has sorted it out, hopefully. The OS map on Nick’s “Pier” page was this :-\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

It clearly shows show TWO piers, one for the railway and one called the “Old Pier”. This version makes it even more clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
But a modern picture of Old Pier House …\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

… looks very similar to the topography of the rather unclear station picture as above. Ringed is the basis of Old Pier House in the same location …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

… and the pier is there albeit hidden in trees on the modern picture. The flat grassed area in today’s colored shot is obviously where the tracks and platforms were.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
A “live” snap taken from the cruise boat shows the “old pier” more clearly.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

Thought? Did the “old pier” pre-date Telford’s Caledonian Canal?<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
There only was one pier and, astoundingly, the Ordnance Survey maps are wrong. Here is a better (and later?)\u00a0 map showing the line all the way to the one and only “Old” Pier.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

We can insert the line on today’s Google Earth aerial view. Old Pier House and the Old Pier are ringed in red.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

Where the erroneous OS map showed the railway pier, the line ran atop a small but significant cliff. There would be no pier and station here!<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
The pier branch seemed a good idea at the time.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
And a better view taken by fbb’s own fair hand …\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

… and a picture of the line in situ on an escarpment well above the water line at this point …<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
… so no second pier!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Which leaves one burning question.\u00a0 How did the line cross The Caledonian Canal before wiggling to the pier? The crossing was here …\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

… but no pictures exist of the necessary swing bridge. It was hand operated. After the pier extension closed, a new terminus building was added across the tracks.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

But such modernity did not save the line. The vision of a multi modal interchange at Fort Augustus never came to fulfilment. The bigger vision of a through line to Inverness was doomed from the start.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
From the locks …\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
… canal traffic entered Loch Ness.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

The Ghostly Tale Of Maisie MacSporran<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

It all began with a weirdness on fbb’s coach. When a passenger uses the very tiny toilet down terrifyingly steep steps …<\/div>\n
\n
<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
.. a red light appears.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

This is repeated by a red “ladies and gents” logo above the driver.<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/div>\n

The fbbs, you will remember, had booked seats from which they could observe the comings and goings from the incredibly small smallest room. Such excitement!<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
On several occasions the lights came on but no one was there<\/span>.\u00a0<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Scary!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Once or twice a weirdly green protoplasmic miasma would appear from the base of the door as the light came on.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

Even more scary.<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
So fbb started investigating.\u00a0<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
It would appear that, some time ago, a passenger on the coach occupied by the fbbs had disappeared during a visit to Urquart Castle on the banks of Loch Ness. The Castle can be a difficult and ominous place.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

The rumour is that Maisie, a spinster of mature years, clad in shorts and shirt ready for a brisk stroll, clambered down to the waterside at the Castle. She was never seen again.\u00a0<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
The coach returned to the Highland Hotel with one passenger missing who “had left to go elsewhere<\/span>“.\u00a0<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
In a way, that was true.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
What happened was the subject of a Government D Notice<\/span>\u00a0forbidding publication of any details. But one picture appeared on-line and was quickly censored and removed. The cameraman was never found.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Here is that picture, sent anonymously and published by fbb in defiance of the D Notice.\n
<\/a><\/div>\n

Was the picture fake? Was the whole story fake? Or was Maisie MacSporran eaten, whole, by Nessie?<\/p><\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
She had no living relatives so no one needed to pursue her probable passing.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
But fbb is adamant that those lights came on at the WC when no person was there ensconced<\/span>. Was the green miasma the ghost of poor Maisie MacSporran, one time passenger on board the Lochs and Glens vehicle named “Loch Lochy”? It seems possible.<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Surely the truth needs to be told?<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\n
\u00a0Next Fort William blog : Saturday 16th September\u00a0<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday 13th September, the trip out was for a cruise on Loch Ness. The cruise was very informative commentary-wise; but, frankly, there was little to see. We were told about the abundance of wildlife, but only saw three wild goats and two hairy Highland cows with their two calves. Here are a very few items of note (?). The…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":3161,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3160","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-camcab"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3160","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3160"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3160\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3161"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3160"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3160"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/camcab.co.uk\/redesign\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3160"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}