monorail

Bruce McCartney's Waverley Route: the Langholm branch

March 1965 and April 1966

	The daily freight shunting at Langholm, March 1965, less than a year after closure to passengers. The platform line at Langholm had been removed, and just a stub left to the water column.  The occasion of Branch Line Society Easter Rambler visit in March 1967 to the modified layout with a five coach train caused problems.  The loco, 43121 had extreme difficulty running round and 'clipped' the end coach.
	From the overbridge between Rowanburn and Claygate, just to the Langholm side of Canonbie station. April 66 - freight now thrice-weekly.
	Glentarras viaduct. According to the local joiner, who dropped a plumb line from the viaduct to the burn, it was exactly 100 feet high
	From road bridge near site of Glentarras siding, April 66
	Gilnockie station and level crossing
	Out near Canonbie - a not unusual arrangement of wagons with loco sandwiched!  ("Wonder why?" says Bruce. Anyone out there know the answer?)
	Bridge on the Penton road just out of Langholm, freight being  propelled to Langholm  (see below)
	Approaching Canonbie station from Langholm, again the freight being propelled...

Bruce adds: "I don't know, for sure, why the freight was propelled.  My guess (note guess) is that it depended on whether there was freight for Newcastleton, and this would save a lot of pfaffling at Riddings."
"In the 1920s, I have been told - but not found it confirmed - the old coal mine workings near here subsided and the train service was disrupted.  And I also was told recently that Canonbie coalfield, being one of the largest untapped in the UK, may mean rails being re-laid, or even newly laid from Longtown.  This is quite possible as there are huge coal resources from Canonbie under 
the Esk towards Glenzier (Annan direction).  However, this could be over active imagination by the teller."

for a map and further details on the line, see Ewan Crawford's excellent "Railscot" page: Langholm Branch

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