To celebrate the launch of Scotland From The Rails, author Benedict le Vay takes us on a wee journey to explain exactly what makes seeing Scotland from the rails such a special experience.
Scotland is, truth be told, a land of railway superlatives. As well as the most scenic line in the world, it offers the most romantic rail journeys in Britain. The highest main-line summits. The longest bridge. The highest railway viaduct. The longest and boldest spans. The greatest manmade wonder, some would add. The most famous railway bridge in the world. The two grandest British main lines (one end of each, that is). The most northernly station in Britain, and the most westerly too. The most successful standard-gauge timetabled steam service. The best railway reopenings and electrification projects. The most complex sleeper operations. Some of the friendliest staff, and the loveliest – and sometimes downright quirky – station buildings. And for icing on the cake, or rather cream on the cranachan, some utterly charming preserved lines, steam centres and luxury excursion trains, which cruise through this magnificent land.
Let’s put some flesh on the bare bones of those sensational claims. First the contrasts. There are busy suburban stations of Glasgow’s intensely complicated network – the biggest in Britain, outside London – with inner-city ones with tracks all over the place, plus fast no-nonsense inter-city routes, electrified, business-like.
Then there are tiny one-track halts up in the Highlands, seemingly made of a few planks, where the only onlooker is a seal or an eagle. Just two rails gleaming in the gloaming, and then the welcome lights of a train that will whisk you to the glimmering grandeur of Edinburgh or the exciting bright lights of Glasgow.
Going the other way, the speed with which the atmosphere changes as you leave the busy commuterland of Glasgow at, say, Helensburgh Upper, and are rapidly into mountains with superb views, is hard to beat. The landscape – dotted with around 260 stations served by 2,300 trains day, recent figures said – is like no other.
The most beautiful scenic railway in the world
This was the judgement voted by Wanderlust magazine readers. It’s a subjective thing, I know, and as with most things, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Or, if you are in a buffet car, the beerholder. All I can say is I have travelled the famed lines in India, Norway, right across Europe from Istanbul to Lisbon, everywhere in the United Kingdom, many lines in North America, New Zealand and China. This one is on another level (1,350ft at one point!). I think it does merit the most exalted title.
The most romantic rail journeys in Britain
That you can traverse the above routes, crossing high moors watched by royal stags, skirting beautiful lochs dotted with impossibly picturesque wooded islands, glimpsing the golden light over the sea – all starting from London on comfortable sleeper trains, or from Edinburgh or Glasgow, is romance unfurling on twin gleaming silver ribbons. Or from grey North Sea to blue Atlantic in one lovely ride. From Tweedy lowlands past many a mountain and loch to end up overlooking the swirling cold seas between Scotland and Orkney. That is real rail romance.
The highest main-line summits
Trains as high as aircraft (well, light aircraft, anyway)! Drumochter Summit is 1,484ft (452m) above sea level. The line is no by-way – it’s double track. It is the highest main-line summit in Britain. On that same route you also pass over Slochd Summit – at 1,315ft (401m), it’s not quite as high as the second highest in the UK, which is at Corrour Summit on the West Highland Line at 1,347ft (410m) above sea level.
The best railway reopenings and electrification projects
An Englishman, a Welshman and an Irishman gathered in a pub (and this will be a right let-down if you are expecting the usual joke!) and said: ‘You know what, you’ve got to hand it to the Scots on railway progress.’
Whole new lines have been built – such as the Borders Railway, new electrification has been rolled out between Edinburgh and Glasgow, both main lines to England have long been electrified for 125mph trains, new or reopened branches are opening (such as Alloa, reopened in 2008).
Meanwhile the rest of the UK has dithered and dallied – electrification to Swansea stopped short, to the English Midlands from London is stopped at the time of writing, which means even when working under electric power, trains have to lug diesel engines and fuel tanks back and forth. The Welsh Valley Lines were to be all electrified, and then it was put in doubt for a while. It’s a shameful shambles, while Scotland’s railways show how it should be done. Clean hydro or wind power running trains making no pollution and little noise. Brilliant!
The most complex sleeper operations
Two enormously long sleeper trains leave London every night, and two more in the opposite direction. The second one, which goes only to Edinburgh and Glasgow, splits at Carstairs, and leaves so late one can enjoy an evening out in London’s West End and then awake refreshed in one of those cities. Marvellous.
The first one is the really romantic one, the Highlander. It leaves earlier, and splits at Edinburgh into three trains, usually of five carriages going to Fort William, five for Aberdeen (which also serves Dundee) and six for Inverness.
All these portions need their own locos and crews for each leg – and while this is happening, it’s going on in the reverse direction too. Britain’s only other sleeper service is the simpler Cornish Riviera from London Paddington straight to Penzance. To make it really worthwhile, Cornwall needs lengthening by about 200 miles!
And finally, some of the friendliest staff and the loveliest – or sometimes downright quirky – station buildings. Well I have to admit I’m biased. You’ll have to have a look for yourself. Let me know what you think…
Scotland From The Rails is available to buy now.
