Description

The end of the 1980s and beginning of the 1990s was a period of great change on Scotland’s railways. The traditional loco plus coaches formations which attracted so many enthusiasts north of the border were on the way out, and the Sprinter revolution, which had already started on shorter distance trains in the Glasgow and Edinburgh areas, was gathering momentum to oust locomotive haulage completely within a few short years. Well-known photographer Roger Siviter made several trips to Scotland to document the changing scene, attracted not only by the scenery but also by the amount of surviving traditional infrastructure and signalling.

Like many still photographers do today with digital camcorders, Roger would often also take moving pictures, using then state of the art Super-8 sound cameras. This collection of Rogers work, covering a variety of passenger and freight workings in the early years of the 1990s, on some of Scotland’s main scenic rail routes starts with a journey from Edinburgh to Dundee and Aberdeen, via the Forth Bridge and also via Stirling. This is followed by action on the Highland Line, Perth to Inverness and then from Inverness to the far north and Kyle of Lochalsh.

Also, Fort William to Mallaig on the West Highland Extension Railway. Class 47s,and 37s feature throughout with glimpses of class 20, 26 and 56., An operational railway scene that has changed for ever and yet recorded here for posterity.